The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is one of North America’s most adaptable and widespread mammals, thriving in diverse environments from forests to bustling urban centers. Known for their intelligence and dexterity, adult raccoons can be formidable opponents and are often the top small predator in their local habitat. Despite their resourcefulness, they are not exempt from the natural food web and are hunted by a variety of larger carnivores and raptors. The animals that prey on raccoons, especially the vulnerable young, play a role in regulating their population across the continent.
Primary Terrestrial Predators
The coyote (Canis latrans) represents the most significant terrestrial threat to raccoons throughout much of their shared range, particularly in areas where other large predators have been removed. Coyotes are opportunistic hunters that are highly successful at coexisting with humans in suburban and urban environments, leading to frequent nocturnal overlap with foraging raccoons. While an adult raccoon can weigh up to 27 pounds and may aggressively defend itself, a coyote is typically larger, ranging from 20 to 40 pounds, and may hunt in small family groups, which tips the balance in their favor. Scientific research, including scat analysis, indicates that coyotes do consume raccoons, though the frequency of this predation can vary greatly depending on local food availability and coyote population density.
Larger feline predators, including the bobcat and the mountain lion (Puma concolor), actively prey on raccoons where their territories coincide. Bobcats are comparable in size to raccoons but possess superior predatory skills, and they will readily take a raccoon, particularly a juvenile, if the opportunity arises during their opportunistic hunts. The mountain lion is a much larger predator that typically targets larger prey like deer, but younger or less experienced mountain lions will occasionally hunt smaller mammals, including raccoons, especially in more remote wilderness areas. For the raccoon, evading these large, powerful mammalian hunters often depends on their ability to quickly reach a den or climb a sturdy tree.
Aerial and Opportunistic Threats
The vulnerability of raccoons to predation is heavily skewed toward their young, or kits, and the primary aerial threat is the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). This nocturnal raptor preys on small to medium-sized mammals. Great Horned Owls are adapted to hunting at night, a time when raccoon kits are sometimes left unattended or are first venturing out of the den, making them accessible targets.
Birds of prey, such as Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles, are large enough to take a raccoon, but this is a less common occurrence, often limited to kits or sick and injured adults encountered during the day. Smaller opportunistic predators like foxes and large snakes pose a threat mostly to the youngest kits still confined to the den. Foxes are capable hunters but may find a healthy adult raccoon too challenging to take on, making their predation largely restricted to juvenile animals. Alligators are also a risk in the southeastern United States, ambushing raccoons that forage too close to the water’s edge.
Environmental Factors Affecting Vulnerability
A raccoon’s risk of being preyed upon is heavily influenced by its environment and individual characteristics. The animal’s age is the greatest factor, as kits and juveniles under the age of one year suffer the highest predation mortality. Access to dense cover also plays a significant role, as thick vegetation provides concealment from both terrestrial and aerial hunters, allowing raccoons to forage with less vigilance.
Urbanization alters the predator-prey dynamic. Urban environments may reduce the presence of large, wilderness-dependent predators like mountain lions and wolves, but they often increase the density of adaptable predators like coyotes. The choice of a den location, such as an accessible chimney or attic, can make young raccoons more vulnerable to opportunistic predators that might not be able to reach a den inside a hollow log. These urbanized raccoons are also subject to higher rates of mortality from human-related causes, such as vehicles and disease, which often overshadows the impact of natural predation.