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North American Raccoon
Our raccoon was born in the attic of a house in Los Angeles, California. After the raccoon was discovered, he was taken to the Los Angeles Zoo to be raised. The raccoon became imprinted and stayed at the LA Zoo as part of their education program. As it grew older, he became unpredictable and needed to be transferred to another facility for exhibit. The raccoon was transferred here in 2001.
Although their Latin name lotor means “one who washes”, raccoons do not actually wash their food. Raccoons have a heightened sense of touch. In the wild, they will rub, feel, and dunk, using their highly dexterous and sensitive front paws in order to locate and capture aquatic prey.
Diet in the Wild
Eggs, berries, fruit, acorns, seeds, crustaceans, and insects. They will also occasionally prey on small vertebrates like rodents, small birds, and baby rabbits.
Diet at the Museum
Dog kibble, mice, rats, beef, rabbit, chick, quail, insects, bones, hard boiled egg, fruits, and vegetables.
In the Wild: Up to 6 years.
In Captivity: 10 to 13 years.
Habitat: Found almost everywhere. They prefer damp areas like parks, farmland, cities, and suburbs. They like large tree cavities for dens.
Range: North America from southern Canada to Panama.
Conservation Status: No special status. Raccoon hunting is prevalent during September-December each year, especially in eastern North America. High fur prices ($25-$50 each) during the 1970's intensified the interest in hunting and trapping raccoons. Nighttime hunting with specially bred hounds has a long tradition, second only, perhaps, to that of English fox hunting. Over four million raccoons are harvested annually this way or by trapping, and many others die each year on roads.