Raccoons
The raccoons are medium-sized mammals native to North America. The original habitats of the raccoon are deciduous and mixed forests, but due to their adaptability, they have extended their range to mountainous areas, coastal marshes, and urban areas, where some homeowners consider them to be pests. Recently, they have emerged in parts of Europe and Japan.
In the wild, a raccoon has a life expectancy of about 2 to 3 years, but in captivity, a raccoon can live up to 20 years.
Raccoon averages 61 to 96 centimeters (24 to 38 inches) in length and can weigh between 5.5 and 15.8 kilograms (12 and 35 pounds), depending upon habitat and available food.
The most distinctive feature of the raccoon is the “bandit” like face mask around the eyes of the raccoon. One hypothesis states that the raccoon’s mask of black fur may function to reduce glare and enhance night vision.
