TABLE OF CONTENTS - National Zoo

RACCOON
(Procyon lotor)
Omnivore
Description: The general coloration of the raccoon is gray to almost black,
sometimes with a brown or red tinge. There are 5 to 10 black rings on the rather
well-furred tail, and a black “bandit” mask across the face. They are good climbers
and swimmers. Raccoons have a well-developed sense of touch, especially in the
nose and forepaws. The hands are regularly used almost as skillfully as monkeys use
theirs. Wild raccoons are most at home near water, and it spends much of its time in
shallow water or mud near the water’s edge looking for something to eat. A
raccoon’s sensitive, naked-soled feet and long toes, plus the short hair at its wrists,
make this kind of food foraging easy.
Teeth: Raccoons have three pairs of incisors and one pair of canines on both jaws.
The number of premolars on the upper and lower jaws range from 3 to 4 pairs. On
the upper jaw, there are two pairs of molars, while the lower jaw has 2 to 4 molars,
for a total of 36 to 40 teeth. The last upper molar is relatively large and rounded.
Diet: A raccoon is a true omnivorous animal. Its diet consists mainly of crayfish,
crabs, other arthropods, frogs, fish, nuts, seeds, acorns, and berries. A raccoon will
eat almost anything. Even garbage is high on its list of favorite foods. Raccoons
living in the woods will check out camp sites and picnic places for any scraps of food
that may have been left. Raccoons near farms, towns or cities visit any place where
food may have been grown, cooked or stored. Trash piles, garbage cans, and pet
food dishes are often raided. Exactly what a raccoon eats changes with the time of
year and the area in which it lives. Raccoons tend to eat more plants than animals.
They eat fruits, nuts, and grains. Acorns are their favorite nuts, but they will also
eat hickory nuts, beech nuts, pecans and walnuts. Corn is by far their favorite grain.
They like it best when it is in its “milk stage,” when it is green and before it has
hardened. Raccoons eat wild berries of all kinds, whenever they can find them. At
times, a raccoon may add grasses, weeds, seeds, and flower buds, to its diet.
Raccoons favor invertebrates like crayfish, crabs, clams, and oysters that are found
in mud or sand. When they can catch them, small animals such as squirrels, gophers,
and mice are important food for raccoons. They will also eat turtles, turtle eggs,
frogs, and fish. Because they like young chickens, turkeys and ducks, as well as
eggs, raccoons can become quite expert at raiding farms and ranches. They also eat
small birds, pheasants, and quail.
Food is generally picked up with the hands and then placed in the mouth. Although
raccoons have sometimes been observed to dip food in water, especially under
captive conditions, the legend that they actually wash their food is without
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