As raccoons continue to become a common sighting in urban and suburban America we continue to learn more about their character. The insights gained from their more frequent spotting in residential areas has proven useful in mitigating future nuisances. Below are three interesting facts about the raccoon.
Intelligent- Raccoons are intelligent capable mammals. They are mentally equipped to handle problem solving situations, including untwisting tops to containers, sliding windows open, and even avoiding tripping mechanisms of traps while stealing bait. In large this can be attributed to their abilities to adapt and den in a variety of areas.
Adaptability- Raccoons naturally den in the hollows of trees or under large objects like rocks that provide them shelter. As raccoons make their way into residential areas they’ve expanded their den seeking portfolio to include basements, attics, decks, and even chimney shafts!
Familial- Like most mammals, their offspring (kit) will depend largely on their mothers protection and foraging skills to ensure their survival. A raccoons kit will stay with their mother until they’re ready to exercise their own independence, usually after one year. Female raccoons have been noted to adopt orphaned kit and raise them as their own. Male raccoons are largely solitary.
An increased frequency of nuisance raccoon calls to residential America are providing insight to their intelligence, adaptability and familial relationships. The best way to exclude raccoons from a property are to remove sources of food left outside and to proactively seal any vulnerable areas on a homes exterior to dissuade denning on site.