Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are mammals native to North America, known for their distinctive masked faces and ringed tails. They are adaptable creatures found across various environments, from rural forests to urban landscapes. Their ability to coexist near human populations makes them a common sight in many communities.
Understanding Raccoon Behavior
Raccoons exhibit remarkable intelligence, allowing them to learn and remember solutions to challenges. They are highly adaptable, thriving in diverse habitats including forests, wetlands, and urban areas. Their presence in human environments is partly due to their capacity to modify behavior and utilize available resources.
Primarily nocturnal, raccoons are most active during the night, when they forage and scavenge. Their excellent night vision makes nighttime their prime activity period. As omnivores, their diet is incredibly diverse, encompassing fruits, nuts, insects, small mammals, and aquatic life. This flexible diet, combined with their dexterity, enables them to exploit a wide range of food sources, including those found near human dwellings.
Potential Health Risks from Raccoons
Raccoons can carry several diseases transmissible to humans and pets, posing potential health concerns. Rabies is a serious viral disease that affects the central nervous system, and raccoons are a primary wildlife carrier in the United States. The virus is typically transmitted through bites from an infected animal, where saliva containing the virus enters an open wound or mucous membranes. Once symptoms appear in humans, rabies is almost always fatal, though post-exposure vaccination can prevent the disease if administered promptly.
Another significant risk is raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, a parasite found in the intestines of raccoons. Raccoons shed microscopic eggs in their feces, which become infectious in the environment. Humans, especially young children, can become infected by accidentally ingesting these eggs from contaminated soil or objects. In humans, the larvae can migrate through organs, the eyes, or the brain, potentially causing severe neurological damage, blindness, or even death, though human infections are rare.
Raccoons also carry canine distemper virus, which is highly contagious among certain animal species like dogs, skunks, and foxes. While distemper does not transmit to humans, it can be fatal to unvaccinated dogs and other susceptible animals. The virus spreads through direct contact with infected animals or their bodily fluids. Symptoms in raccoons can include lethargy, disorientation, and a loss of fear of humans, often mimicking signs of rabies.
Physical aggression from raccoons towards humans is uncommon and usually occurs only when the animal feels threatened, is protecting its young, or is sick. If a raccoon appears sick, disoriented, or unusually aggressive, maintaining distance is important.
Raccoon Interactions with Property
Raccoons, driven by their opportunistic feeding habits, frequently cause disturbances around human properties. They commonly overturn trash cans in search of discarded food, scattering refuse. Gardens are also vulnerable, with raccoons known to damage crops like sweet corn and watermelons, often pulling back husks or digging holes. They may also dig up lawns as they forage for insects and grubs.
Beyond outdoor nuisances, raccoons often seek shelter inside structures, entering attics, chimneys, and sheds. Their strong paws and sharp claws allow them to tear through roofing materials, such as shingles or soffits, to create entry points. Once inside, they can cause significant damage by tearing apart insulation for nesting or chewing on electrical wires. Chewed wires pose a serious fire hazard, while damaged insulation can lead to increased energy costs.
Safe Practices Around Raccoons
Minimizing interactions with raccoons begins with eliminating attractants on your property. Secure trash and recycling bins with tight-fitting lids or by storing them in a locked shed or garage. Remove outdoor food sources such as pet food, birdseed, and fallen fruits or nuts from trees. Regularly cleaning trash cans can also reduce odors that attract them.
To prevent raccoons from entering your home, seal all potential entry points. Inspect your foundation, walls, windows, and roof for any gaps or damaged areas, and reinforce them with sturdy materials. Trim tree branches that overhang your roof. Chimney caps and reinforced roof vents can also deter entry.
It is important to avoid approaching or feeding raccoons. Feeding them encourages dependency on human food, can lead to a loss of their natural fear of people, and increases the risk of property damage or disease transmission. If you encounter a raccoon, maintain a safe distance and never attempt to corner or handle it. Raccoons generally prefer to flee unless they feel threatened or are protecting their young.
If a raccoon appears sick, injured, disoriented, or unusually aggressive, contact your local animal control or a professional wildlife removal service. Do not try to intervene yourself, as these behaviors could indicate rabies or distemper, and direct contact can be dangerous.