A northern raccoon (Procyon lotor) hangs on a rafter and looks at the camera in the middle of the night in Estes Park, Colorado
By: Dawn Wilson
This week’s featured subject is the common raccoon. Raccoons are one of the most ubiquitous animals in North America, found in just about every region of the U. S. — from the swamps of the southeast to the mountains of Colorado, and in rural or urban areas. The only environments they typically do not live are hot, dry climates like the deserts of Arizona and Nevada. Here are more fun facts about this masked bandit.
A raccoon (Procyon lotor) walks along the shore of a pond in eastern Colorado.
1. In the U. S., common raccoons are the largest member of the procyonid family, a group of tree-climbing mammals which includes coati and ringtail. Only the raccoon is found in Estes Valley.
2. Common raccoons can weigh up to 20 pounds and are about 35 to 45 inches in length.
A raccoon relaxes on a branch on a cloudy day at Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, Colorado
3. Raccoons, with their excellent night vision and acute hearing, are primarily nocturnal and thrive under the cover of night.
4. The word “raccoon” is derived from an Algonquin word meaning “he scratches with his hands. ”
A baby raccoon (Procyon lotor) climbs down a tree in a campground in Pinnacles National Park, California.
5. Unlike most animals, the raccoon can descend a tree headfirst by rotating the hindfoot 180 degrees.
Twin raccon young in southeast Fort Collins, Colo. neighborhood in early summer morning.
Dawn Wilson is a professional and award-winning nature photographer who lives in Estes Park year-round. You can see more of her work, join one of her Rocky tours, and purchase prints and calendars at DawnWilsonPhotography.com or follow her on Instagram: @dawnwilsonphoto.
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