When you're sleeping the raccoon is hunting. With it's glowing eyes it can see perfectly. The raccoon lives in most of North America. They investigate fields, farms and backyards of homes. They especially like trees, rock ledges, burrows, hollow logs, junk piles, lumber stacks, barns, attics, sheds, chimneys and old cars. It seems like they have a mask covering their face. The fur is a yellow, grayish color. Their bushy tails have 5 to 7 rings, their tails are 8 to 10 inches long. They use them for balance when they run or climb up trees. When a raccoon falls asleep it uses its tail as a blanket. The adults weigh 20 to 30 pounds. The adult is also 24 to 40 inches long from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail. The average height of an adult is 12 inches.

Baby raccoons, called kits, weigh 60 grams (2 ounces) and are 10 centimeters (4 inches) long when they are born. In the spring the mother has 3 to 4 kits.

Raccoons are mostly nocturnal but sometimes they hunt in daylight. They eat snails, fish, plants, animals, fruits, corns, grains, grasses, slugs, toads, butterflies, eggs, worms, snakes, lizards, turtles, ducks, rabbits, mice, clams, mussels and their favorite treat, crayfish. Raccoons like shiny objects because most of the time their food is wet.

Their enemies are owls, eagles, bobcats, cougars, wolves, alligators and coyotes. To get away from enemies they run, climb up trees or swim away. To scare away enemies they raise their hair on their back and show their teeth. They lower their snouts and growl. They can even give off a bad smell. The raccoon is very smart. They can even trick people.

I got my information from THE WONDER OF RACCOONS by Rita Ritchie and Jeff Fair and from Nature's Children, RACCOONS by Laima Dingwall.

At night in warm places, you might be able to see a raccoon, with its glowing eyes under what looks like a mask. With grayish fur and black rings around its tail, it's ready for another night's adventure. The raccoon lives in most of North America, but not in deserts or very cold places. Their territory is usually 2.5 square kilometers or one square mile. It makes its home in caves, hollow trees or stumps, or abandoned underground burrows. The raccoon will eat almost anything, a few things it will eat are corn, seeds, berries, garbage, and plants. It also can catch fish to eat with it's bare hands!

Adults weigh as little as 8 lbs. and as much as 40 lbs and are 24-40 " long. Babies weigh 2 ounces and are 4" long. The heaviest raccoon ever weighed 62 lbs! The enemies of the raccoon include wolves, owls, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, skunks, alligators, dogs, and people. In 1980 almost 4 million raccoons were killed for their valuable pelts - their skins - and their tasty meat.

The raccoon has some great senses. First it has a good sense of smell. It's second sense is touch with fingers and toes. It's hands are like a humans, so this allows it to open cans jars and other things like that. Its last sense is its eyes. In the night it can reflect any light with a mirror in the back of its eyes to see in the night. They can only see black and white and are near sighted.

Raccoons are related to bears, dogs and weasels. Scientists say that it is also related to pandas from China! The raccoon has four different names: raccoon, 'coon, bear's little brother, and lotor. 'Coon is what you can call them instead of raccoon. Lotor is its scientific name meaning "washer." It has this name because it dunks its food in water before eating it if there is a pond or river nearby. 

I got my information from RACCOON BABY by Bernice Freschet, Nature's Children, RACCOONS by Laima Dingwall, THE RACCOON by Jerolyn Ann Nentl, THE WONDER OF RACCOONS by Rita Ritchie and RACOONS by K. M. Kostyal.