Photo by Jim Jung . All rights reserved.

Raccoons

Raccoons disappear during the coldest parts of winter. When temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit Raccoons den up and wait out the cold snap. Raccoons, contrary to popular notions, do not hibernate in the strict sense of the word. Unlike chipmunks, woodchucks, bears and most reptiles whose metabolism nearly stops when they enter their winter dens, raccoons maintain a fairly active metabolism all winter. Even when denning during the coldest periods of winter their metabolism, while slowing somewhat, remains relatively high.

Photo © 2004 Jim Jung and licensors. All rights reserved.

On warmer winter days, raccoons' hearts turn lightly to love. Males prowl the edges of females' territories seeking receptive partners. Sometimes on quiet nights at this time of year you can hear their odd yowls and grunts as they vocalize (often quite loudly) the raccoon equivalent of sweet nothings. Once a bond is established the couple will occasionally travel together for up to a week - which is the only time adult raccoons engage in social activities. But once mating has been successful the female drives the male away and both resume a solitary existence again - hunting, fishing and scavenging food.

Photo © 2004 Jim Jung and licensors. All rights reserved.

Raccoon mothers (Procyon lotor) and their babies are now beginning foraging trips together into the wide world and learning valuable life lessons as they do.

In our area Raccoons usually give birth in mid-March. Like their relations the bears and pandas the young are tiny when they enter the world weighing just two ounces at birth. But thanks to Mom's rich milk the babies rapidly grow and gain weight. Within two months they're heading out into the wide world with their mother and learning the Way of the Raccoon.

Offsite Links:

• World Wide Raccoon Web. Cute pictures and more
• Beartracker's Racoon Tracks, scat, and notes
• Universitiy of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web Northern Raccoon page

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