Living with Washington's wildlife: Raccoons

(Editor's note: WDFW's Seattle-area urban wildlife biologist Russell Link is compiling a series of "Living With Washington's Wildlife" factsheets for distribution at regional offices that will eventually be part of a new book, “Living With Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest.” This newsletter will regularly feature excerpts since many BWS managers have asked for help when some wildlife becomes too much of a good thing!)

The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a native mammal about 3 feet long, (including its 12-inch long tail) with an average adult weight of 20 pounds. The black "mask" and bushy ringed tail is distinctive. Because the hind legs are longer than the front legs, raccoons have a hunched appearance when they walk or run. Each of their front feet contains five dexterous toes, allowing raccoons to grasp and manipulate food and other items.

Raccoons prefer forest areas near perennial streams or bodies of water, but have adjusted to various environments throughout the Pacific Northwest. Raccoon populations grow quite large in urban areas with hunting and trapping restrictions, few predators, and humansupplied food.

Raccoons eat small mammals such as gophers, squirrels, mice, and rats; also carrion, insects, crayfish, crabs, frogs, fish, birds and bird eggs. Their vegetable diet consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Garbage and pet food is a common element of their diet around human habitation.

Raccoons can be seen near shallow fresh or salt water, using their front feet to search out aquatic foods. Because raccoons also frequently moisten food items in water, there is a misconception that they "wash" their food before eating it. When water is not available, however, they use many of the same motions in handling food.

Raccoons are typically nocturnal although they are sometimes seen during the day. Their peak feeding activity generally occurs before midnight. Often only their five-toed tracks are seen - 2-3 inches long from front feet, 3-4 inches long from hind feet which have a "heel" much like a human foot print. Sometimes these tracks appear as smudge marks on the side of a house where a raccoon shimmies up a downspout or utility pipe. Sometimes only their droppings are seen - crumbly, flat-ended, the diameter of your little finger, 3-6 inches long but usually broken in segments.

Raccoons pair only during the breeding season and except for females with young, they are usually solitary. However, their home ranges tend to overlap and they may den together during winter storms. Individuals may also feed together at a concentrated food source.

Raccoons make dens in hollow trees, rock crevices, large brush piles, wood duck boxes, or use den sites created by other animals. In urban areas, raccoons will use storm sewers, crawl spaces, chimneys, and attics. During extreme weather, or when a mother is denned with her young, raccoons do not occupy the same den for more than 1 or 2 days. Raccoons do not hibernate.

Female raccoons generally give birth between April and June with an average litter of 2 to 3 young. The young remain in their birth den until they are about 7 weeks old, at which time they can walk, run, and climb and begin to occupy a series of alternate dens.

Raccoon predators include mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, domestic dogs, large owls and eagles. Hunters, trappers, and automobiles also take raccoons. Most raccoons in the wild live less than 5 years.

Young raccoons are cute, intelligent, and curious. However, they are wild animals, not meant to be pets, and making them so is illegal in Washington.

Problems and Solutions

A raccoon's search for food may bring it into an area with crops, a pond, or a yard with chickens or ducks. Its search for a den site may bring it into an attic, chimney, or crawl space. The most effective way to deal with potential conflicts is to modify the habitat around your home so that raccoons won't be attracted to human-provided sources of food and shelter.

Feeding raccoons is highly discouraged. Raccoons that are fed often lose their fear of humans, and develop a territorial attitude which may lead to aggressive behavior. Feeding also tends to concentrate raccoons in a small area. Overcrowding can result in increased diseases or parasites which may be transmitted to pets or humans.

There has not been a recorded case of rabies in a Pacific Northwest raccoon population, but they may carry other diseases. Raccoons can be a host for the parasitic roundworm which can infect a person who accidentally ingests or inhales eggs that are passed through raccoon droppings. Prevention consists of never touching or inhaling raccoon droppings, using rubber gloves and a mask when cleaning areas which have been occupied by raccoons, and keeping young children and pets away from areas with high concentrations of raccoons. Raccoons also carry the canine distemper virus, and the best prevention for this is to have your dogs vaccinated and keep them away from raccoons.

As long as raccoons are kept out of human homes, not cornered, and not treated as pets, they are not dangerous. Children should be told not to approach, touch, or feed raccoons. If a raccoon ever approaches too closely, make yourself appear larger (stand up if sitting), shout, and wave your arms. If necessary, throw stones or send the raccoon off with a good dousing of water from a hose or bucket. If a raccoon continues to act aggressively or strangely (circling, staggering as if drunk or disoriented, or unnatural tameness), call your local WDFW office for assistance.

To prevent problems with raccoons, take the following steps: *Use garbage cans with tight-fitting lids. To keep a lid on tight, secure it with rope, chain, bungee cords, or weights, or buy cans with clamps or other mechanisms. To prevent you attempt to live-trap problem raccoons yourself, make sure there are no young in the den and if so, make sure they are mobile. Use baited cage traps and release raccoons onsite after dark and after all entrances have been sealed. Monitor the site to make sure no raccoons are stranded inside.

Relocating problem raccoons off site is not recommended because they are unlikely to survive, can cause damage elsewhere, or can spread disease to other wildlife and people.

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