Basic Information
Raccoons are unusual, for their thumbs, though not opposable, enable them to open many closed containers such as garbage cans and doors. They are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals.They have a reputation for being clever and mischievous.Their intelligence and dexterity equip them to survive in a wide range of environments.Raccoons are one of the few medium-to-large-sized animals that have enlarged their range since human encroachment began (another is the coyote). Population densities of raccoons in urban areas can be 20 times higher than in rural areas.
Fun Facts
Raccoons' hind feet are plantigrade, similar to a humans.Raccoons usually give birth to three to four young which weigh less than a dinner fork.The newborns stay with the mother for about one year before beginning life on their own. The largest raccoon on record weighed over 60 pounds. Raccoons can live for 15 years, but most live five to six years.