What are raccoons? A medium-sized furbearer, raccoons have black masks on their eyes and a black ring around their tail. While their fur is usually gray-brown, they can vary in color from silver to sienna. In 1825, a red panda was mistakenly identified as a member of the raccoon family, but subsequent genetic studies placed them in a separate family.
Raccoons vary in colour and pattern. European raccoons have dark, almost black fur. American raccoons tend to be more light-colored, with brown and reddish-rust markings. Raccoons are almost always black and grey-black, with a bandit-mask on their face. Raccoons also have black under their eyes, which helps them to be easily recognizable.
Raccoons are nocturnal and crepuscular animals. Their eyes appear black and purple in certain lights, but are actually a mixture of purple and orange. It is these eyes that give raccoons the ability to see at night. Their eyeballs are made of a structure called the tapetum lucidum, which reflects light. When light hits their eyes, they give off a glistening, oddly reflective look.
Besides their black and gray masks, raccoons have a ring around their tail. Unlike dogs, raccoons are not albinos, but the colouration is inherited from their mothers. Female raccoons are typically smaller than males. A female raccoon has five to seven distinct dark rings on her tail, and a gray or brown nose and eyes.
Raccoons are known to be incredibly intelligent animals. They have a remarkable memory, and can often remember the solution to a task for over three years. They are nocturnal and omnivorous, with diets consisting of forty percent invertebrates and thirty-three percent plants. The name is derived from the Algonquin Indian word ‘Racoon.’
In the wild, raccoons live near streams and lakes, but they are also found in cities. They usually live in attics or hollow trees. Raccoons breed during January and March, and have one litter of three to four young. Young leave the den after two to three months. Raccoons can be territorial, and often fight with their human neighbors. If a raccoon has an escaped pet, the baby will imprint on the cat and become sexually attracted to the owner.
Raccoons have a very unique coloration. The ringtail of North America is conspicuously black. Its nocturnal behavior means that it doesn’t need color vision to detect objects in their environment. Its tail has four times as many sensory receptors as its front and back paws, which is more than human hands. Unlike humans, raccoons also have a remarkable sense of touch, having four times as many sensory receptors as their front paws and hind legs.
Adult raccoons reach sexual maturity at about two years and a year. Mating season lasts about 74 days. The female gives birth to up to four cubs. During the first months of life, female raccoons nurse their cubs. Raccoons are born between four and seven weeks and start eating at three to seven weeks of age. Young raccoons disperse to separate homes before winter.
