10 Raccoon Facts

Raccoon is a bear like animal of North America, but very small in size as compared to bear. The color of its body is a mixture of black, white and grey with a black and grey lengthy tail. Its identity is mask-like marking around the eyes. It is also known as “coon”. Here are some more facts about Raccoon.

1. Average Size

From tip of nose to tip of tail, the average size of a raccoon is about 70 cm. However; the major part in this whole length is of tail that is 52% of total length. You can say up to 405 mm.

2. Inhabitant places

Normally, raccoon lives in very densely wooded locations that are mostly inhabited. However, today the habits of raccoons are changing and they are living in mountainous areas as well.

3. Number of Species

A more interesting fact about raccoons is that, it is present in ten different species. All these species not only differ in size, but also in appearance as well.

4. Food washing habit

There is a very interesting and unique habit that is not present in any other animal except raccoons. Raccoons like to eat food after washing and that’s why, they try their best to live close to water. They don’t like eating food without washing it.

5. Do not hibernate

Like many other animals, raccoons do not lie dormant or hibernate. No doubt, raccoons are found to be sleep in very cold season. However, they are not found hibernated.

6. Life Span

There are two different theories about the life span of raccoons. In case of wild raccoons, the average age of a raccoon is about 10 years old. However, raccoons that live in captivity can live up to 20 years.

7. Jumping Ability

Raccoons have astonishing jumping ability. They can easily jump from a height of up to 40 feet or even more.

8. Omnivorous Animals

Raccoons can eat everything just like human beings. So they are omnivorous animals. They can eat fish, small animals, plants and insects as well.

9. Strong Swimmers

As raccoons have a strange habit of eating food after wash, so they love water as well. being living close to water, raccoons are the best swimmers as well even having extra weight.

10. Cause of Diseases

It is dangerous to adopt a raccoon as a pet animal. It is not due to the reason that raccoons are it dangerous. They carry microscopic parasites called raccoon round worms. These worms are dangerous for human being and can cause blindness.