Wildlife of the Alligator River


Length	24 in. to 37 in. (603 mm to 950 mm), Tail 7½ in. to 16 in. (192 mm to 406 mm)
Weight	48 lb (21.8 kg)
Habitat	Various wooded and wetland habitats, along wooded streams, and in cities and suburbs
Typical diet	A wide range of plants and animals
Similar species	White-nosed coati, ringtail

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are best known for their distinctive black masks and nimble fingers. Their coats are gray brown or orange brown with a black undercoat. Their bellies are grayish. Their tails are somewhat bushy with 4 to 6 alternating black and brownish gray rings.

Raccoons are nocturnal (most active at night). They are accomplished climbers that can climb a tree of any size and climb down either headfirst or tail first. Raccoons are one of the few animals that can climb down a tree headfirst. They do this by rotating their hind feet 180°!

During the winter, raccoons may sleep for several days or more than a month, but they do not hibernate. They may be active during mild spells, but they do not need to eat because raccoons metabolize the fat reserves stored in their bodies. About one-third of their body weight is fat tissue.

Raccoons are omnivores (eaters of plants and animals). Their diet includes grapes, nuts, berries, black cherries, grubs, grasshoppers, crickets, small mammals, bird eggs, and nestlings.

Raccoons harbor a nematode (roundworm), Baylisascaris procyonis, which is harmless to them but very dangerous to other mammals, including humans. Transmission occurs through the nematode’s tiny eggs, which are found in soil and raccoon feces.

In recent years, raccoons have been frequent carriers of rabies. This is especially true in the eastern United States. Because raccoons are potential carriers of serious illnesses, they should not be encouraged to feed near human dwellings.

Methods of hunting and foraging
Raccoons spend much of their time foraging along streams for aquatic prey. These include crayfish, frogs, worms, fish, dragonfly larvae, clams, and turtles. In residential areas they rummage through trash cans for food. Raccoons have nimble fingers that allow them to easily turn doorknobs and open refrigerators. They may appear to be washing their food when they are foraging near water. However, they are really using the water to help knead and tear at their food to sort out the parts they do not want to eat.

Social and reproductive aspects
Raccoons use a den for bearing young, winter sleep, and temporary shelter. There have been reports of up to 23 raccoons in a single den. However, when communal denning occurs, there is only one adult male present.

Males often travel miles in search of a mate. After mating, the male remains with the female for about one week before leaving to seek another mate. The young are born in the spring and open their eyes when they are about 3 weeks old. At first, the mother carries them around by the napes of their necks, similarly to the way a cat carries its kittens, but she soon leads them on foraging expeditions. The young usually leave the den on their own in the fall.

Signs of presence
Raccoons leave discarded crayfish remains near the shores of streams and ponds. In or near cornfields they leave shredded cornhusks, scattered kernels, and gnawed cob ends.

Predators
Animals that prey on raccoons include bobcats, coyotes, and red wolves. Foxes and owls are a threat to young raccoons. However, the most prevalent causes of death for raccoons include automobiles, human hunters, diseases, and accidents.

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