We all recognize the masked face and the ringed tail of this cute mammal. The raccoon, Procyon lotor, also goes by the name "coon", "mask-wearer", and "night-rover". The name raccoon actually comes from the Algonquin Indian word arakunem which means "he scratches with his hands." The Latin name Procyon means "before the dog", which is not quite accurate because the raccoons ancestry goes back about 30 million years during the Miocene Age where it is believed to have evolved from a primal dog race.

The second half of the Latin name, lotor, means "washer", which refers to the belief that the raccoon washes his food before he eats it. This belief quickly stirs up arguments among scientists and naturalists. Most, however, believe that the raccoon is not a washer, but a dunker, feeler, or an investigator. There is another theory that the raccoon has no salivary glands and wetting the food aids in swallowing. This theory was discounted by veterinarians that said raccoons did have well-developed salivary glands.

Many cultures considered the raccoon magical or even sacred, maybe because of their good senses. The sense of touch is the most well developed and is enhanced when their paws are wet. They can locate their food by touch alone, not even having to look at it. The raccoons, just like bears, walk plantigrade. They have five toes on each foot, long non-retractable claws, and hairless soles on their feet. Raccoons are very well known for being able to get into cages, trash cans, and other places that most animals cannot access. Raccoons are very clever and can use their hands well, so opening doorknobs is not out of the question.

Raccoons are mainly nocturnal animals, although it is not unusual to see them out at other times of the day. They have great hearing and a very keen sense of smell. Their eyes are made to see at night by utilizing the available light. They cannot see in complete darkness just like owls and other nocturnal animals can not. The average raccoon weighs about twelve to twenty pounds and the males are larger than the females. There average life expectancy in the wild is about two years, although in captivity it can be sixteen years.

Raccoons have a varied diet, including small mammals, fruit, berries, nuts, insects, amphibians, small aquatic animals, eggs, and any human food they can easily get to! Some people complain that raccoons keep getting into their garbage or hanging around their porches. I have a solution to this problem. Keep your garbage in an animal-proof container and/or do not put your garbage out until the morning of trash pick-up. Also, do not keep dog or cat food out over night! There are some simple ways we can live with wildlife. After all, we are usually the ones guilty of moving into their homes anyway.

Male raccoons are not very loyal as they may mate with more than one female during breeding season. Males are known to travel many miles to find a female. The female only accepts one mate per year and they mate around February until about June and give birth to two to five young. The mother carries the young by the nape of the neck like a cat does her kittens. These young may remain with their mother until about nine months old, although they are weaned at about four months of age.

Raccoons do not hibernate, although during very cold spells they may den up for a few days until the weather is better. Their habitat is usually in the woods near water. They are solitary animals except during mating season. Even though ëcooní territories do overlap, when they encounter each other they may make threatening displays such as growling, and lowering their heads. They bare their teeth, flatten their ears and their fur stands up on their backs. Most of the time they both back off and go in different directions.

Many people "coon hunt" in the fall when raccoons are very active. They hunt with dogs that trail the raccoon and then tree it until the dog owner gets there with a gun and shoots it down. Many hunters claim they like the thrill of the chase, and they do not even shoot the 'coon, but save it to pursue it on another day. Many people eat the raccoon meat which they say tastes like lamb. Folk healers used the fat on sprains and bruises. Raccoon fat was also used to help soften leather. In the 1920s raccoon skin coats became very popular, as well as 'coonskin hats. Thankfully the coats were just a fad and aren't worn anymore (although the hats are still worn by some today).

I love to watch these mischievous creatures and I am an advocate for them. But, if you ever encounter one in the wild and it does not attempt to run away, or it approaches you, get away from it. Although any mammal can, raccoons have been known to carry rabies and should not be handled, even if they are young. If their behavior is very unusual or strange, call your local authorities to find out what to do.

We can enjoy wildlife and share the earth with them. We just need to be conscious of how we live and understand how wildlife lives. When we learn about the habits and habitats of wildlife we can begin to understand them better and learn to love and respect them more. There are a lot of ways to learn about wildlife, and one way is to log onto the Nature Center's website (wildwnc.org) and read about the many animals that we house at the WNC Nature Center.

I would like to remind you that the animals that reside at our Center are non-releasable and they can no longer live in the wild because they have either been permanently injured or human imprinted. We have two non-releasable male raccoons at our Center and they are a thrill to watch play. We are located on 75 Gashes Creek Rd. in Asheville, North Carolina. We would love to have you come visit us and get to know the animals of Western North Carolina.