Raccoon

Description:

Raccoon have gray to brown fur. A black mask around its eyes with white fur around the mask. It has a stripe that runs from its forehead to its nose and white fur around its nose. A bushy, ringed tail. It has black paws with five toes,similar to human hands. An adult Raccoon is 16 to 28 in. body length with a body weight of 8 to 20 lb.

Habitat:

Raccoon can be found in most of the United States except for some high desert regions. Raccoon lives in aquatic areas. Near marshes and wooded areas near water where It makes its den in a tree. Raccoon's are very adaptable and will live in suburbs and cities making a den in human materials and structures. Raccoons do not hibernate. The raccoon is omnivorous and opportunistic. The Raccoon's habitat reflects this. Natural foods Raccoon's eat include tree and ground fruits, nuts, berries,fruit. It will eat insects, rodents, frogs, eggs and crayfish. Garden crops,corn,strawberries. In suburban and urban areas it forages through trash cans for food. It will eat domestic pet foods from outdoor feeders and containers. It will it eat corn and nuts in accessible outdoor bird feeders. If a source of water is near a feeding area Raccoon's will put their food into the water and swish it around. Raccoons do this to soften their food.

Notes:

Raccoon's are so fun to watch. Raccoon families have been nesting in our trees for a very long time. Often I see a Raccoon during the day napping in a tree. Raccoon's go to the beach and curiously search the shoreline. I watched a mother Raccoon pick up one of her babies the way a human does. I am very concerned about the health and safety of the Raccoon species. Many Raccoon's I see have scars from human acts of cruelty against them as they are not well met,often viewed as a pest or dangerous by humans.