Index of Species Information: Procyon lotor – U.S.Raccoons also growl in defense when in the presence of danger.Animal Diversity Web: Procyon lotor – University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.Chesapeake Bay : Nature of the Estuary, A Field Guide by Christopher P.When humans feed raccoons, the animals eventually lose their instinctive fear of humans and begin to move closer to the food source being provided. Raccoons are strong swimmers, but they do not swim farther than they need because their fur is not waterproof and being wet weighs them down.Raccoons are excellent climbers that can fall 40 feet without being harmed.They have excellent night vision and sharp hearing. Raccoons are mostly nocturnal and will stay in its den during the day.Although raccoons usually walk, they can also run at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour.The word “raccoon” comes from the Algonquian word arakun, which means “he scratches with his hands.”.Raccoons can live 10 to 15 years in the wild. Females can breed before they are one year old. Cubs do not reach adult size until their second year. After four to five months, cubs are able to forage on their own.įemales continue to care for their cubs for nearly one year. Females nurse their cubs for about 70 days. After four to six weeks, cubs begin walking, and after nine to 10 weeks, they begin to explore outside of their den. At birth, cubs are blind, covered in dark fur and have no rings on their tails.īetween 18 to 24 days old, cubs begin to open their eyes. In late winter or early spring, the female gives birth to a litter of three to six young (called cubs). The raccoon creates a den in a dry area, often in hollow trees, logs or crevices. Download the audio file to listen.īreeding occurs from late autumn into early spring. Your browser does not support the audio element. Raccoon screams sound like the screech of an owl. Fighting raccoons sound similar to fighting cats. Many of their vocalizations resemble those of other animals. Each sound is used to communicate something different, but they’re not easy to distinguish from other wild animals. Adult raccoons will purr, chitter, growl, snarl, hiss, whimper and screech. There are up to 200 different sounds raccoons use to interact. Raccoons are very vocal mammals and use a variety of sounds to communicate with another. A raccoon will stay in its den during the day to avoid being preyed upon, and can be aggressive toward potential predators. Hawks, owls and humans are major predators. Raccoons are able to use their hands to open garbage cans and other containers in search of food. In cities and suburbs, raccoons will eat food they find on the ground and sometimes break into trash cans. Raccoons eat nearly any available food, including fruits, nuts, corn, fish, frogs, insects, bird eggs, rodents and dead animals. Raccoons grow to about 28 inches in length and can weigh as much as 35 pounds. Their black feet have five toes on each paw. They have small, erect ears and a pointed muzzle. Their long tail has rings of black and yellowish-white. They have a distinctive black mask around their eyes. Raccoons are mostly gray with some reddish or black tints and gray underparts.
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