Raccoons Essay

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Everything you need to know about Raccoons

What are Raccoons?
Raccoons are mammals native to Northern America although today they can be found also in Europe and in Japan. These fuzzy animals are easily recognizable thanks to their bushy, ringed tail and the unique black furry mask that covers the eye area. Raccoons, also known by their Latin name Procyon lotor have an average lifespan of 5-6 years. These fox- like animals are roughly the size of a small dog. They mate around December, producing a litter of 3-5 young in the spring time. Don’t be fooled by their cuteness, when approached raccoons can be very frightening. In fact, some animal experts caution against feeding wild raccoons or keeping them as pets.

What does a raccoon eat?
Raccoons are omnivores, which means they eat both meat and plants. When it comes to plants, raccoons are happy eating all kinds of fruits and nuts. Their meat diet consists mainly of invertebrates like …show more content…

They sleep during daytime and more so in the winter when they live off stored body fat. As very curious and highly adaptable animals, raccoons can be encountered in many different ecosystems. Their homes called dens are typically found in caves, trees, barns or abandoned homes and vehicles. Raccoons are pest species known for their mischievous nature especially when they are foraging for food in highly populated areas. These not very social mammals prefer to live in attics, beneath porches or in the chimneys. The first signs of raccoons outside the house are damaged lawns and crops, raided trash cans and poop in the swimming pool. Once inside the attic, they make lots of noise and mess by tearing off insulation paper and leaving a crazy amount of droppings. Raccoons are known for stealing pet food and their presence can alarm dogs and other household pets. These and many other reasons makes raccoons a nuisance animals. Naturally, people wish to have them trapped and removed from their

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