Raccoons are adaptable, widespread mammals, known for their masked faces and ringed tails. Their intelligence and ability to adjust to various surroundings allow them to thrive in diverse environments, often near human populations.
Geographic Range
Raccoons are native to North America, with their range extending from southern Canada, through the United States, and into northern South America. This broad distribution covers various climates and natural settings. Beyond their homeland, raccoons have established populations in Europe and Asia, especially Japan. Introduced primarily during the 20th century due to the fur trade, many escaped or were released from fur farms. Consequently, raccoons are now found across central Europe, the Caucasus, and Japan, often considered an invasive species.
Diverse Habitats
Within their extensive geographic range, raccoons occupy diverse environments, showcasing their adaptability. Original habitats include deciduous and mixed forests, especially near water sources, wetlands, marshes, and riparian areas, which provide food and cover. Beyond natural settings, raccoons have adapted to human-modified landscapes. They are found in agricultural areas, suburban neighborhoods, and urban centers, utilizing backyards, parks, and city infrastructure. This ability to thrive in varied settings demonstrates their ecological flexibility.
Why Raccoons Choose Their Homes
A raccoon’s choice of living space is driven by the availability of food, water, and shelter. Natural areas offer diverse food options like fruits, nuts, insects, and small aquatic creatures, plus access to streams and rivers. In human-populated areas, raccoons exploit abundant food sources such as discarded refuse, outdoor pet food, and garden produce. Urban and suburban environments also provide numerous shelter sites and often have fewer natural predators than wilder areas. Their problem-solving abilities allow them to navigate these complex environments, contributing to their success in cities.
Making a Home: Denning Habits
Raccoons exhibit flexible denning habits, using various natural and artificial structures for shelter. In natural environments, they commonly use tree cavities, hollow logs, rock crevices, and abandoned burrows; brush piles also serve as temporary resting spots. Within human-dominated landscapes, raccoons adapt to artificial structures. They frequently den in attics, chimneys, sheds, barns, and abandoned buildings, as well as storm sewers, culverts, and spaces under porches or decks. Raccoons often use multiple den sites within their territory, moving between them every few days, and generally do not exhibit territorial behavior over these dens.
Geographic Range
Raccoons are native to North America, with their range extending from southern Canada, through the United States, and into northern South America. This broad distribution covers various climates and natural settings. Beyond their homeland, raccoons have established populations in Europe and Asia, especially Japan. Introduced primarily during the 20th century due to the fur trade, many escaped or were released from fur farms. Consequently, raccoons are now found across central Europe, the Caucasus, and Japan, often considered an invasive species.
Diverse Habitats
Within their extensive geographic range, raccoons occupy diverse environments, showcasing their adaptability. Original habitats include deciduous and mixed forests, especially near water sources, wetlands, marshes, and riparian areas, which provide food and cover. Beyond natural settings, raccoons have adapted to human-modified landscapes. They are found in agricultural areas, suburban neighborhoods, and urban centers, utilizing backyards, parks, and city infrastructure. This ability to thrive in varied settings demonstrates their ecological flexibility.
Why Raccoons Choose Their Homes
A raccoon’s choice of living space is driven by the availability of food, water, and shelter. Natural areas offer diverse food options like fruits, nuts, insects, and small aquatic creatures, plus access to streams and rivers. In human-populated areas, raccoons exploit abundant food sources such as discarded refuse, outdoor pet food, and garden produce. Urban and suburban environments also provide numerous shelter sites and often have fewer natural predators than wilder areas. Their problem-solving abilities allow them to navigate these complex environments, contributing to their success in cities.
Making a Home: Denning Habits
Raccoons exhibit flexible denning habits, using various natural and artificial structures for shelter. In natural environments, they commonly use tree cavities, hollow logs, rock crevices, and abandoned burrows; brush piles also serve as temporary resting spots. Within human-dominated landscapes, raccoons adapt to artificial structures. They frequently den in attics, chimneys, sheds, barns, and abandoned buildings, as well as storm sewers, culverts, and spaces under porches or decks. Raccoons often use multiple den sites within their territory, moving between them every few days, and generally do not exhibit territorial behavior over these dens.