Raccoon

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Raccoon_Mountain :: Raccoons

Raccoons are mammals in the genus Procyon of the Procyonidae family. Raccoons are unusual for their thumbs, which (though not opposable) enable them to open many closed containers (such as garbage cans) and doors. They are intelligent omnivores with a reputation for being clever, sly, and mischievous, and are considered "ursine", used to describe things of a bear-like nature. Raccoons range from 20 to 40 inches in length (including the tail) and weigh between 10 and 35 pounds (4.5 to 16 kilograms). The raccoon's tail ranges from 8 to 16 inches in length. Male raccoons are generally larger than females.

Species

There are three species of raccoon. The most widespread is the common raccoon (P. lotor), which has a natural range of North America and Central America, and has been introduced to Continental Europe.

The two rarer species are the Tres Marias raccoon (P. insularis), native to the Caribbean, and the crab-eating raccoon (P. cancrivorus) of the tropics. The word "raccoon" is derived from the Algonquian word aroughcoune, "he who scratches with his hands." The genus name, Procyon, comes from the Greek for "pre-dog"; this term is also used for the star Procyon.

Some raccoons once considered separate species are now thought to be the same as or subspecies of the common raccoon, including the Barbados raccoon (P. gloveraleni), Nassau raccoon (P. maynardi), Guadeloupe raccoon (P. minor), and Cozumel Island raccoon (P. pygmaeus) (Helgen and Wilson 2003/2005).

Other names

In many languages, the raccoon is named for its characteristic dousing behavior. Waschbär in German, orsetto lavatore in Italian, Mapache in Spanish, vaskebjørn in Danish and Norwegian, tvättbjörn in Swedish,szop in Polish,mýval in Czech, wasbeer in Dutch, pesukarhu in Finnish, araiguma (洗熊) in Japanese, huanxiong (浣熊) in Chinese, all mean "washing bear." In French the common raccoon is called raton laveur or "little washing rat"; the Linnaean binomial is Procyon lotor or, roughly, "washing pre-dog." Raccoons are often colloquially called "clever bandits" because of the markings on their faces (see photo).

Behavior

All raccoons are nocturnal and omnivorous, eating berries, insects, eggs and small animals. Raccoons sometimes wash, or douse, their food in water before eating it. It is unknown why raccoons perform dousing, but cleaning food is unlikely to be the reason. Studies have found that raccoons engage in dousing motions when water is unavailable; researchers note that captive raccoons are more likely than wild raccoons to douse food. It has been suggested that captive raccoons are mimicking fishing and shellfish-foraging behaviors. It may also be that the raccoon is searching for unwanted material, as water is thought to heighten their sense of touch.

As city dwellers in the United States and Canada increasingly move into primary or second homes in erstwhile rural areas, raccoons are often considered pests because they forage in trash receptacles. The raccoon has also adapted well to city life, and in cities such as Toronto the raccoon is, after the grey squirrel the most common urban pest. Introduced into Germany in the 19th century, raccoons seeking food in wine cellars and storage areas have become a threat to the country's wine industry. Beginning in April 1934 raccoons, which were being commercially farmed in Germany for their then-fashionable fur, were experimentally released into the wild Population growth greatly accelerated in 1945 when disruption of the infrastructure led to numerous raccoons escaping from farms across Germany. Because they seemed to have minimal impact on forest ecology, raccoons were a protected species. Lately, however, the population density in some regions may have reached 100 raccoons per square kilometer and hunters have been offered rewards to cull the animals [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1846678,00.html.

Disease

Raccoons can carry Baylisascaris roundworm, distemper, and rabies. Of the approximately 8,000 documented animal rabies cases in the United States, raccoons constitute approximately 50% .

Raccoons as Pets

In most states of the United States it is illegal to keep raccoons as pets. Other states allow the practice, but require exotic pet permits. Young orphan raccoons and raccoons acquired from reputable breeders may make suitable pets; however, raccoons are not domesticated animals. Training raccoons is an intensive and ongoing process, and captive raccoons may retain destructive or aggressive natural behaviors, such as biting. Some douse their food in or defecate into the water dishes of other pets. Although nocturnal, captive raccoons can be trained to sleep at night and to be active during the day.

Captive raccoons can develop obesity and other disorders due to unnatural diet and lack of exercise; furthermore, many veterinarians will not treat raccoons. Raccoons raised in captivity and released do not adapt well to life outside.

Raccoons as Food

Raccoons were a source of food for early American pioneers providing a sizable amount of protein. "Coon" hunts and cuisine can still be found in regions of the southern United States. The fat is strongly flavored and smells disagreeable so it is recommended that it be removed prior to cooking. The favored method of cooking is roasting with recipes suggesting that sweet potatoes are a good complement to the raccoon's meat, which is dark, as either a stuffing or side dish.

Trivia

A raccoon named Mekko was one of the animal characters of the 1995 Disney movie Pocahontas. A raccoon named Roni was choosen as the mascot for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

References

Literature

Helgen, K.M. & Wilson, D.E. 2005. A systematic and zoogeographic overview of the raccoons of Mexico and Central America. Pp. 219-234 in Sanchez-Cordero, V. & Medellin, R.A. (eds.). Contribuciones Mastozoologicas: en Homenaje a Bernardo Villa. Mexico City: Instituto de Biologia e Instituto de Ecologia, UNAM.

External links

20 reasons not to have a pet raccoon

Procyonids | Fauna of Colombia | Wildlife of Central America | Fauna of the United States | Fauna of Southern Canada

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