Learning about
Raccoon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758 |
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Procyon cancrivorus Procyon insularis Procyon lotor |
A raccoon (also spelled racoon) is a nocturnal mammal in the genus Procyon of the Procyonidae family. Raccoons are unusual for their thumbs, which (though not opposable) enable them to open many closed containers (such as garbage cans and doors). They are omnivores with a reputation for being clever and mischievous; their intelligence and dexterity equip them to survive in a wide range of environments and in the presence of humans. Raccoons range from 50 to 100 cm in length (including the tail) and weigh between 4.5 and 16 kg. The raccoon's tail ranges from 20 to 40 cm in length. Male raccoons are generally larger than females. A baby raccoon is called a kit[1]. Raccoon hindfeet are plantigrade (flat-footed) similar to a human's.
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Species
There are three species of raccoon. The most widespread is the Common Raccoon (P. lotor), which is also known as the Northern Raccoon or the Mapache, has a natural range of Southern Canada to South America, and has been introduced to Continental Europe. Raccoons can live in the city or in the wild, and while they are not domesticated they are on rare occasion kept as pets.
The two rarer species are the Tres Marias Raccoon (P. insularis), native to the Tres Marķas islands off the Pacific Coast of Mexico, and the Crab-eating Raccoon (P. cancrivorus) of the tropics. The word "raccoon" is derived from the Algonquian word aroughcoune, "he who scratches with his hands." The genus name, Procyon, comes from the Greek for "pre-dog"; this term is also used for the star Procyon.
Some raccoons once considered separate species are now thought to be the same as or subspecies of the common raccoon, including the Barbados Raccoon (P. gloveralleni), Nassau Raccoon (P. maynardi), Guadeloupe Raccoon (P. minor), and Cozumel Island Raccoon (P. pygmaeus) (Helgen and Wilson 2005).
