Raccoons are excellent climbers that will eat nearly any food available to them. (Kelly Colgan Azar/Flickr)
The raccoon is a grayish mammal with a distinctive long, ringed tail and black “mask” over its eyes. It lives in nearly every part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, from cities and suburbs to swamps and marshes.
Appearance:
Mostly gray with some reddish or black tints
Black mask around the eyes
Gray underparts
Long tail with rings of black and yellowish-white
Small, erect ears
Pointed muzzle
Black feet with five toes on each paw
Grows to about 28 inches long and can weigh as much as 35 pounds
Habitat:
Found along the edges of streams, rivers, swamps and marshes
Common in developed areas such as cities and suburbs
Mostly nocturnal, staying in its den during the day
Range:
Found throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed
Becomes dormant in winter but does not hibernate
Feeding:
Eats nearly any available food, including fruits, nuts, corn, fish, frogs, insects, bird eggs, rodents and dead animals
In cities and suburbs, raccoons will eat food they find on the ground and sometimes break into trash cans. Raccoons are able to use their hands to open garbage cans and other containers in search of food.
Predators:
Hawks, owls and humans are major predators
Snakes may eat young raccoons
Stays in its den during the day to avoid being preyed upon
Can be aggressive toward potential predators
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
Breeds from late autumn into early spring
Creates a den in a dry area, often in hollow trees, logs or crevices
Gestationperiod lasts about two months
In late winter or early spring, the female gives birth to a litter of 3-6 young (called cubs)
At birth, cubs are blind, covered in dark fur and have no rings on their tails
Between 18-24 days old, cubs begin to open their eyes
After 4-6 weeks, cubs begin walking, and after 9-10 weeks, they begin to explore outside of their den
Females nurse their cubs for about 70 days
After 4-5 months, cubs are able to forage on their own
Females continue to care for their cubs for nearly one year
Cubs do not reach adult size until their second year
Females can breed before they are one year old
Can live 10-15 years in the wild
Other Facts:
The word “raccoon” comes from the Algonquian word arakun, which means “he scratches with his hands.”
Although raccoons usually walk, they can also run at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour.
Raccoons have excellent night vision and sharp hearing.
Raccoons are excellent climbers that can fall 40 feet without being harmed.
Raccoons are strong swimmers, but they do not swim farther than they need because their fur is not waterproof and being wet weighs them down.
You should never feed a raccoon. When humans feed raccoons, the animals eventually lose their instinctive fear of humans and begin to move closer to the food source being provided.
Sources and Additional Information:
Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary, A Field Guide by Christopher P. White
