Racoon

The racoon leads a largely solitary life. It is temperamental and will often fight with its own family members as well as with others racoons. Although most racoons live in the wild, close contact with humans does not bother them. They often nest in empty buildings, garages, sheds, and even the attics of houses. Since racoons are nocturnal animals, they are most active at night. Racoons do not hibernate in the winter, but those that live further north, where it is colder, grow thick coats to keep them warm and spend long periods sleeping.

Raccoons have been known to use over 200 distinct sounds in their interactions with other raccoons and animals. They have not been determined to form an actual language.

While the male racoon mates with different females, the female will mate with only one male, avoiding all others that season. Mating usually takes place in the winter months, but may continue until June. About 9 weeks after mating, the young are born in a nest of leaves made by the female in a hollow tree or log. They are blind for their first 3 weeks, but grow quickly.

The racoon normally feeds along waterways and lakes. It hunts as it swims; looking for fish, crayfish, frogs, turtles, and turtle eggs. The racoon will catch mice and muskrats along the banks of streams and rivers and will also search the woodlands for insects, nuts, fruits, young birds and bird eggs. In some areas, the racoon is considered a pest. It raids poultry and wildfowl breeding sites and it eats corn and other crops. In more populated areas, a racoon will frequently knock over trash cans while scavenging for food, using its hands as well as monkeys do.