Raccoon Report GENERAL OVERVIEW Raccoons (Procyon lotor) belong to the Procyonidae (predecessors of the dog family). This highly intelligent mammal has a rounded head with a short nose, small ears, and a sturdy body with thick, grayish-brown fur of minimal length. Raccoons are easily identified by a distinctive pattern of alternating rings of black and yellowish white around a large bushy tail. They are also identified by a unique narrow black mask with two white spots above the eyes. Average length is 2 to 3 feet long (including tail) and 12 inches tall, weigh 8 to 22 pounds (heaviest in fall), and live 10 to 13 years. Females produce one litter per year, numbering one to six kilts and averaging four to five. SPECIAL FEATURES AND ADAPTATIONSRaccoons have had a lot of time to adapt and adapt to different environments. Raccoons have a keen sense of smell and hearing. (Blashfield, 2004) They are strong and agile, therefore good climbers of trees and fences. Each foot has five long, slender fingers, which work with remarkable dexterity. This was an adaptation developed for living in dense forests and areas with high tree density. In the wild, they use their front legs to find food in the water, open shellfish, and carry the food to the mouth. In urban areas, the raccoon has learned to scavenge through human waste and thus provides an important food source. By adapting to human habitat, they often apply this dexterity to opening the garba...