They got this nickname because of their opportunist habit of dumpster diving and eating basically anything that us humans throw out, together with their markings.
In their native habitat they are fonder of crayfish, snails, frogs, clams as well as bugs, eggs and small birds, small rodents, fruits seeds and nuts and vegetables. Quite a smorgasbord!
They are SO cute, with their bandit mask face and fuzzy ringed tail, weighing between 15 and 40lb and around 3 ft long. Being mostly nocturnal you can see them during the twilight hours foraging around
Raccoons are mostly solitary animals unless there is a large amount of food in a given area, or during breeding season and females with young. They make dens for raising young and sheltering and in rural areas include hollow trees, under rocks or brush piles or abandoned burrows dug out by other animals. In urban areas they make use of attics, chimneys and abandoned vehicles or small structures.
They generally mate around March – April but sometimes as early as January or late as June. Normally 2-3 kits are born after a 65-day gestation period. At around 8-10 weeks old they accompany their mother and start foraging and by 12 weeks they are self-sufficient and return home after a few days before leaving for good.
In the wild raccoons live for about 3 years, with predators ranging from bobcats, domestic dogs and coyotes as well as humans and vehicles. Young raccoons are preyed upon by owls and other birds of prey. Raccoons that live in captivity can live to 13 years old, and some abandoned babies are adopted by families and trained as family pets.
If you do happen to come across a raccoon it would be wise not to approach it. With humans feeding them they can become aggressive if not fed as expected and they may have lost their fear of humans. They can carry disease and parasites and raccoon droppings can contain a parasite that is toxic to us.
So, if you happen to see a raccoon, enjoy the moment and maybe take a photo (or two) and then go on your way…