Raccoon Fast Facts

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June 12, 2014

  • They’re great climbers. They can climb 50 feet vertically with ease. They also swim well.
  • They don’t hibernate. They can, however, sleep for extended periods if it’s cold outside.
  • They can handle winter. Raccoons have a dense underfur, which accounts for about 90 percent of their coat, that insulates them.
  • They’re nocturnal. Their diet consists of about 40 percent invertebrates, 33 percent plant material and 27 percent vertebrates. They have forepaws with five fingers to handle food.
  • They’re relatively long-lived. Raccoons can live as long as 20 years in captivity, but typically live in the wild for two or three years. Females generally have one litter — ranging from three to seven kits — a year.
  • They can be found worldwide. Raccoons live in the U.S., Europe, Japan, Russia, Central America and the Caribbean. Hunting and vehicular injury are the two most common causes of death.

[ RELATED LINKS: Bye-Bye, Bandit Raccoons | A Funny Raccoon Story ]

 

Aust is president and CEO of Bird Doctor Nationwide and can be reached at stuart@birddoctorinc.com.

 

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