COMMON NAME (S): Raccoon

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Procyon lotor

CLASSIFICATION: Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Procyonidae

DESCRIPTION: Length: About 3 feet including tail.
Height at the shoulder: 9-10 inches
Weight: 15-18 pounds
General: The two most recognizable features of a raccoon are its ringed tail and black facemask. The grizzled coat varies in color according to the range.

RANGE: Across southern Canada and most of the United States. Introduced into southeast Alaska.

HABITAT: Found almost anywhere near water but absent from true desert.

STATUS: General: Common.
              WA State: Common.

DIET: Consists of anything they find or capture, especially aquatic animals.

REPRODUCTION: Breeding season extends from January through February. The gestation period is about 60 days. Generally, the female gives birth to two to five young. At birth, the newborn kits weigh 2-4 ounces.

LIFE SPAN: Ranges to about 10 years.

BEHAVIOR: Raccoons are very curious animals, handling and investigating almost everything they discover. Their extremely sensitive forepaws are the primary mode for analyzing the potential food which often comes from the water. This dexterous manipulation gives the appearance that it is washing food.

NAMES: adult male - boar; adult female - sow; baby - kit or cub; group - nursery

SOURCES: Wild Animals of North America - National Geographic Society
Furbearing Animals of North America - L.L. Rue III
The World of the Raccoon - Leonard Lee Rue III

For more information on living with raccoons in the neighborhood, go to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife site.