Raccoon

Raccoons are round, fuzzy creatures with bushy tails and a black mask of fur that covers their eye area. These animals may look like cute, cuddly bandits, but they can be quite fearsome when approached.  

Identification

General Description
Round and fuzzy with bushy tails and black mask of fur that covers the eye area
Length
15 to 28 inches
Weight
11 to 57 pounds
Color
Grayish coat mostly consists of underfur which insulates it against cold weather
Sounds
Raccoons make a variety of chittering, purring, snorting, growling, snarling, whimpering, and screaming sounds

Reproduction

Raccoons usually mate in a period triggered by increasing daylight between late January and mid-March. After 63 to 65 days of gestation, a litter of 2 to 5 young are born.

Food

Raccoons eat insects, worms, and other animals along with acorns and walnuts, depending on the season. They prefer prey that is easier to catch, specifically fish, amphibians, and bird eggs. 

Habitat

Raccoons depend on vertical structures to climb when they feel threatened. They avoid open terrain and ares with high concentrations of beech trees, as beech bar is too smooth to climb. 

Fun Facts

Raccoons see with their hands. While most animals use either sight, sound, or smell to hunt, raccoons rely on their sense of touch to locate goodies.