Raccoons are mammals – warm-blooded, hairy creatures (like us!) that are easily recognized by the mask of black hair on their face and a variable number of black rings that circle their densely haired long tail. Males and females are similar in appearance. Both sexes can vary in the number of rings on the tail, although most have about six rings. Raccoons are basically nocturnal animals. They are out and about at dawn and dusk as well as in the darkness of night, but by day they are usually sleeping comfortably in a hollow log, hole in the ground, or in some other cavity – sometimes even in an abandoned building. Males move about by night over much greater distances than females – they are not only searching for food, but also for additional mates.
Preferred raccoon habitats are shallow wetlands and shrubby forest edges with access to fruit-producing trees. In recent decades raccoons have moved into cities and towns – especially neighborhoods with large wooded lots and access to water, pet food, and garbage. That can be both good news and bad news. The good news is that you can often see them up close – and they do consume many harmful insects. In late winter multiple raccoons visit our bird feeders and birdbaths late at night – and are not intimidated by our yard light or us if we stay back a bit from the windows. The bad news is that they also may consume fruit we were hoping to eat and other creatures that consume harmful insects. More importantly, rabies is found in raccoons and can be lethal to them or to humans. It’s best to enjoy raccoons from a distance.