In the wild, raccoons live for two to three years while raccoons can live up to twenty years in captivity. They can make over fifty different sounds to communicate! Also, they can hiss, purr and growl, often heard when competing for food.
Raccoons are generally nocturnal, meaning they are awake during night time hours. However, due to the availability of food in certain regions, a raccoon may be seen awake scavenging for food. They live in a variety of places – from tropical areas to busy cities. Raccoons are native to North America. Toronto, Canada has one of the biggest city raccoon populations. These animals often live in busy cities as it provides a good, substantial food source for them.
It eats whatever it can find in its environment – from bugs to plants. They catch a lot of their food by snaring it out of the water, such as crayfish and frogs – although they also don’t mind eating fruit.
Raccoons score a very high mammal IQ – above cats and just below monkeys. They can open bins by using their paws to lift the lids. One study showed that raccoons can remember solutions to tasks for up to three years.
