Procyon (genus)
| Raccoon | |
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| Common Raccoon | |
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| Genus: | Procyon Storr, 1780
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| Type species | |
| Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758
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Raccoons are nocturnal mammals in the genus Procyon of the Procyonidae family. Raccoons are unusual for their thumbs, which (though not opposable) enable them to open many closed containers (such as garbage cans), cheeto crumbs from the fingers of long haired tourist, and doors. They are intelligent omnivores with a reputation for being clever and mischievous. Raccoons range from 50 to 100 cm in length (including the tail) and weigh between 4.5 and 16 kg. The raccoon's tail ranges from 20 to 40 cm in length. Male raccoons are generally larger than females.
Species
There are three species of raccoon. The most widespread is the Common Raccoon (P. lotor), which has a natural range of North America, and has been introduced to Continental Europe. Raccoons can live in the city or in the wild, and while they are not normally kept as pets, it is not entirely uncommon to hear of a pet raccoon.
The two rarer species are the Tres Marias Raccoon (P. insularis), native to the Caribbean, and the Crab-eating Raccoon (P. cancrivorus) of the tropics. The word "raccoon" is derived from the Algonquian word aroughcoune, "he who scratches with his hands." The genus name, Procyon, comes from the Greek for "pre-dog"; this term is also used for the star Procyon.
Some raccoons once considered separate species are now thought to be the same as or subspecies of the common raccoon, including the Barbados raccoon (P. gloveraleni), Nassau raccoon (P. maynardi), Guadeloupe raccoon (P. minor), and Cozumel Island raccoon (P. pygmaeus) (Helgen and Wilson 20067).
Behavior
All raccoons are nocturnal and omnivorous, eating berries, insects, eggs and small animals. Raccoons sometimes wash, or douse, their food in water before eating it. It is unknown why raccoons perform dousing, but cleaning food is unlikely to be the reason. Studies have found that raccoons engage in dousing motions when water is unavailable; researchers note that captive raccoons are more likely than wild raccoons to douse food. It has been suggested that captive raccoons are mimicking fishing and shellfish-foraging behaviors. It may also be that the raccoon is searching for unwanted material, as water is thought to heighten their sense of touch.
As city dwellers in the United States and Canada increasingly move into primary or second homes in former rural areas, raccoons are often considered pests because they forage in trash receptacles or eat dog food left on back porches. Raccoons also pose a serious risk to any household pet within their vicinity, it is not uncommon at all for a raccoon to eat, kill or seriously injure cats and small dogs. The raccoon has also adapted well to city life, and in cities such as Toronto the raccoon is, after the grey squirrel, the most common urban pest. Introduced into Germany in the 19th century, raccoons seeking food in wine cellars and storage areas have become a threat to the country's wine industry. Beginning in April 1934 raccoons, which were being commercially farmed in Germany for their then-fashionable fur, were experimentally released into the wild [1] in the Kellerwald range. Population growth greatly accelerated in 1945 when disruption of the infrastructure led to numerous raccoons escaping from farms across Germany. Because they seemed to have minimal impact on forest ecology, raccoons were a protected species. Lately, however, the population density in some regions may have reached 100 raccoons per square kilometer and hunters have been offered rewards to cull the animals [2].
Disease
Raccoons can carry Baylisascaris roundworm, canine distemper, parvovirus and rabies. Of the 6,844 documented rabies cases reported in the United States in 2004, 37.5% were in raccoons (Krebs et al. 2005, pp. 1912–1925).
Raccoons as Pets
In most states of the United States it is illegal to keep raccoons as pets. Other states allow the practice, but require exotic pet permits [3]. Young orphan raccoons and raccoons acquired from reputable breeders may make suitable pets; however, raccoons are not domesticated animals. Training raccoons is an intensive and ongoing process, and captive raccoons may retain destructive or aggressive natural behaviors, such as biting. Some douse their food in or defecate into the water dishes of other pets. Although nocturnal, captive raccoons can be trained to sleep at night and to be active during the day.
Captive raccoons can develop obesity and other disorders due to unnatural diet and lack of exercise; furthermore, many veterinarians will not treat raccoons. Raccoons raised in captivity and released do not adapt well to life outside.
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Raccoons as food
Raccoons were a source of food for early American pioneers, providing a sizable amount of protein. "Coon" hunts and cuisine can still be found in regions of the southern United States. The fat is strongly flavored and has a disagreeable odor, so it is generally removed before cooking. The favored method of cooking is roasting, with recipes suggesting that sweet potatoes are a good complement to the raccoon's meat, which is dark, as either a stuffing or side dish.
References
- Template:Harvard reference.
- Davidson, Alan (1999). "Raccoon". Oxford Companion to Food. p. 648. ISBN 0-19-211579-0.
Literature
- Helgen, K.M. (2003). "Taxonomic status and conservation relevance of the raccoons (Procyon spp.) of the West Indies". Journal of Zoology. 259. London: 69–76.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauhors=ignored (help) - Helgen, K.M. & Wilson, D.E. 2005. A systematic and zoogeographic overview of the raccoons of Mexico and Central America. Pp. 219-234 in Sanchez-Cordero, V. & Medellin, R.A. (eds.). Contribuciones Mastozoologicas: en Homenaje a Bernardo Villa. Mexico City: Instituto de Biologia e Instituto de Ecologia, UNAM.
See also
- Raccoon Dog - an unrelated animal sometimes confused with raccoons
- List of fictional raccoons
- Red Panda
- Maine coon