Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

By Austin Kessler

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mamimalia
Order: Carnivoria
Family: Procyonidae
Genus: Procyon
Species: lotor

Physical Description

The raccoon has bushy, reddish brown coat. It has whiskers with black fur around their eyes and white eyebrows. The full length is 50 - 100 centimetres. Tail length is 20 - 40 centimeters with 4 -6 white stripes on the tail. The raccoon also has thumbs like humans that can open trash cans and other things. It also has ears that stick up and a wet black nose.

Diet and Feeding Habits

The raccoon is an omnivore. The raccoon eats fruits, nuts, grapes, apples, berries, acorns, small vertebrates, crayfish, insects, small rodents, frogs, fish and invertebrates. In some areas sweet corn is a big part of their diet, or in others it is mainly fruit and plants. They also eat road kill and have adapted to eat trash from trash cans.

Reproduction

The mating season for raccoons is February to June. During mating season the males expand their home range so they can have more females in their
home range. Also during mating season, females are sometimes found denning with males. The rest of the year males and females have no interaction. Raccoons have one litter per year with
3 -7 pups. The gestation period for females is 63 - 65 days. The females are sexually mature at their first year and males are mature during their second year. The babies are born blind but open their eyes 18 - 24 days after birth. They stay in the den for the first winter.

Habitat and Niche

Raccoons are found in Maine. They are very adaptable and can be found very near humans. Raccoons prefer moist woodlands with rivers nearby. They can also be found in farmlands and urban areas. They like to build their nests in trees but can also live in woodchuck burrows, buildings, caves, barns and sewers.

Role in the Ecosystem

The raccoon is nocturnal so it can see very well in the dark. It hunts and gathers at night and can create a very large impact on the ecosystem if it has a primary prey. They can be a pest to farmers if they eat or destroy their crops. Its predators are coyotes, grey wolves, hawks, owls, and snakes. It eats fruits, nuts, grapes, apples, berries, acorns, small vertebrates, crayfish, insects, small rodents, frogs, fish and invertebrates.

Present Status

Least Concern. This means that the species is thriving and needs no help keeping its species healthy.

Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Procyon_lotor.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/raccoon