RACCOONS

BY Caroline K.

SPECIES A different name for a Raccoon is a Procyon

lotor and two of them are the ringtail and coati.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

Length: 41-70cm Weight: 3.9 and 9.0 kilogram. Color: Black, white, and gray. It does have

hair. Has a black bandit’s mask on it and black nose. Their ears are triangle shaped.

Height: 22.8 and 30.4cm

LIFESPAN Captive raccoons and wild raccoons have

been known to live for 16 years They are not endangered.

HABITAT

They usually live in tree hollows, old oaks, or any other trees.

This is not a lot of space for a family of raccoons.

LANDFORMS

It is very light when raccoons sleep because they sleep during the day time which means they are nocturnal.

During night time it is very dark and it is hard for them to see. They are awake when we are asleep.

CLIMATE

Sometimes raccoons live in cold weather or hot weather.

They usually live in North America, Mexico, or Canada.

FOOD

Raccoons are omnivores. That means they eat animals, plants, and they usually eat garbage for their diet.

They are usually nocturnal but they sometimes get their food at daytime.

If they are seen during the daytime it usually is not a good sign because it means they might be sick.

PREY

Raccoons usually eat worms, insects or other animals in Summer.

BEHAVIOR

Raccoons have 13 identical vocal calls in which seven are used in communication between mothers and kits (young).

One of these calls is similar to a bird like tweeting.

REPRODUCTION

When raccoons have there babies they are usually born in the spring.

They usually have four or five kits (young) together. That makes a litter.

PHYSICAL They have an amazing sense of touch in their

front paws. This helps them feel there prey because it is hard to see in the dark.

BEHAVIORAL Often a raccoon handles food and carefully

dips it into water. Related female raccoons often share a

common area to rest. Male raccoons live together in four individuals.

PHYSIOLOGICAL

Raccoons can weigh as much as they do in the spring due to fat.

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS 1:A baby raccoon is called a kit when it is

born. 2:One old male or boar raccoon in Wisconsin

weighed up to 62 pounds! Raccoons are excellent at swimming and

really good at climbing!