What Animal Looks Like A Pale Racoon
Raccoons (Procyon lotor)
Raccoons are a common sight in much of Washington, frequently drawn to urban areas past nutrient supplied by humans. Equally long equally raccoons are kept out of homo homes, not cornered, and not treated equally pets, they are non unsafe.
Description and Range
Physical description
The raccoon is a native mammal, measuring about 3 feet long, including its 12-inch, bushy, ringed tail. Because their hind legs are longer than the front legs, raccoons accept a hunched appearance when they walk or run. Each of their forepart anxiety has 5 dexterous toes, allowing raccoons to grasp and manipulate nutrient and other items.
Developed raccoons weigh 15 to xl pounds, their weight being a result of genetics, age, available food, and habitat location. Males take weighed in at over lx pounds. A raccoon in the wild volition probably counterbalance less than the urbanized raccoon that has learned to live on handouts, pet nutrient, and garbage-tin leftovers.
Geographic range
Raccoons adopt forest areas near a stream or water source, just have adapted to various environments throughout Washington. Raccoon populations tin get quite large in urban areas, owing to hunting and trapping restrictions, few predators, and human-supplied food.
Living with wildlife
Food and feeding habitats
Raccoons will eat almost annihilation, merely are particularly fond of creatures found in water—clams, crayfish, frogs, fish, and snails. Raccoons also eat insects, slugs, expressionless animals, birds and bird eggs, likewise every bit fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Around humans, raccoons oftentimes swallow garbage and pet nutrient. Although not great hunters, raccoons tin can catch young gophers, squirrels, mice, and rats. Except during the convenance flavour and for females with young, raccoons are solitary. Individuals will eat together if a large corporeality of food is available in an area.
Den sites and resting sites
Dens are used for shelter and raising young. They include abased burrows dug by other mammals, areas in or under large rock piles and brush piles, hollow logs, and holes in trees. Den sites also include wood duck nest-boxes, attics, clamber spaces, chimneys, and abandoned vehicles. In urban areas, raccoons normally use den sites every bit daytime rest sites. In wooded areas, they often residue in trees. Raccoons mostly move to unlike den or daytime residuum site every few days and do not follow a predictable pattern. Merely a female with immature or an brute "holed up" during a cold spell volition use the same den for whatever length of time. Several raccoons may den together during wintertime storms.
Reproduction and habitation range
Raccoons pair upwards simply during the breeding season, and mating occurs every bit early equally January to as late equally June. The peak mating flow is March to April. After a 65-solar day gestation period, two to three kits are born. The kits remain in the den until they are about seven weeks old, at which fourth dimension they tin can walk, run, climb, and begin to occupy alternate dens. At viii to ten weeks of historic period, the young regularly accompany their female parent outside the den and fodder for them selves. By 12 weeks, the kits roam on their own for several nights before returning to their mother. The kits remain with their mother in her home range through winter, and in early spring seek out their own territories. The size of a raccoon'south dwelling range as well every bit its nightly hunting surface area varies greatly depending on the habitat and food supply. Home range diameters of i mile are known to occur in urban areas.
Mortality and longevity
Raccoons die from encounters with vehicles, hunters, and trappers, and from illness, starvation, and predation. Young raccoons are the main victims of starvation, since they have very little fat reserves to depict from during nutrient shortages in tardily winter and early on spring. Raccoon predators include cougars, bobcats, coyotes, and domestic dogs. Large owls and eagles will prey on young raccoons. The average life span of a raccoon in the wild is two to 3 years; captive raccoons accept lived xiii.
Viewing raccoons
Raccoons can be seen throughout the year, except during extremely cold periods. Unremarkably observed at night, they are occasionally seen during the day eating or napping in a tree or searching elsewhere for nutrient. Coastal raccoons take advantage of low tides and are seen foraging on shellfish and other food past day.
Trails
Raccoons employ trails made by other wildlife or humans next to creeks, ravines, ponds, and other h2o sources. Raccoons oft use culverts as a safe mode to cross under roads. With a marsh on one side of the road and woods on the other, a canal becomes their principal route back and forth. Look for raccoon tracks in sand, mud, or soft soil at either stop of the culvert.
In adult areas, raccoon travel along fences, next to buildings, and near food sources.
Tracks, scratch marks, and similar signs
Wait for tracks in sand, mud, or soft soil, also on deck railings, burn escapes, and other surfaces that raccoons employ to gain access to structures. Tracks may announced equally smudge marks on the side of a house where a raccoon shimmies up and downwardly a downspout or utility pipe.
Sharp, nonretractable claws and long digits make raccoons good climbers. Like squirrels, raccoons can rotate their hind feet 180 degrees and descend trees headfirst. (Cats' claws don't rotate and they accept to back down copse.) Look for scratch marks on copse and other structures that raccoons climb.
Look for article of clothing marks, body oil, and hairs on wood and other rough surfaces, particularly around the edges of den entrances. The den's archway hole is usually at least 4 inches high and vi inches wide.
Debris
Raccoon droppings are crumbly, flat-concluded, and tin incorporate a multifariousness of food items. The length is 3 to 5 inches, merely this is usually broken into segments. The diameter is about the size of the finish of your little finger.
Raccoons exit droppings on logs, at the base of operations of trees, and on roofs (raccoons defecate before climbing trees and inbound structures). Raccoons create toilet areas—inside and outside structures—away from the nesting area. Firm cats have similar habits.
Note:Raccoon droppings may deport a parasite that can be fatal to humans. Practise not handle or smell raccoon debris and launder your hands if you touch whatsoever.
Calls
Raccoons make several types of noises, including a purr, a chittering sound, and various growls, snarls, and snorts.
Legal condition
Because legal condition, trapping restrictions, and other information nigh raccoons change, contact your WDFW Regional Office for updates.
The raccoon is classified equally both a furbearer and a game fauna . A hunting or trapping license is required to hunt or trap raccoons during an open season. A property possessor or the owner'southward immediate family, employee, or tenant may kill or trap a raccoon on that holding if it is damaging crops or domestic animals. In such cases, no let is necessary for the use of live (cage) traps. However, a special trapping let is required for the use of all traps other than live traps (RCW 77.15.192, 77.15.194).
It is unlawful to release wildlife anywhere within the state, other than on the property where it was legally trapped, without a permit to do so (RCW 77.fifteen.250). Except for bona fide public or individual zoological parks, persons and entities are prohibited from importing raccoons into Washington Country without a permit to do so.
Preventing conflict
A raccoon'due south search for food may lead it to a vegetable garden, fish swimming, garbage can, or chicken coop. Its search for a den site may pb it to an attic, chimney, or clamber space. Sometimes, you may need to adios a raccoon or other brute from a edifice.
The most effective manner to prevent conflicts is to alter the habitat around your home and so as not to attract raccoons. Recommendations on how to exercise this are given below:
Don't feed raccoons:Feeding raccoons may create undesirable situations for you, your children, neighbors, pets, and the raccoons themselves. Raccoons that are fed by people oft lose their fear of humans and may become aggressive when not fed as expected. Artificial feeding also tends to concentrate raccoons in a minor area; overcrowding can spread diseases and parasites. Finally, these hungry visitors might approach a neighbour who doesn't share your appreciation of the animals. The neighbor might choose to remove these raccoons, or have them removed.
Don't give raccoons access to garbage:Keep your garbage can lid on tight by securing information technology with rope, concatenation, bungee cords, or weights. Improve yet, purchase garbage cans with clamps or other mechanisms that concord lids on. To preclude tipping, secure side handles to metal or wooden stakes driven into the ground. Or continue your cans in tight-plumbing equipment bins, a shed, or a garage. Put garbage cans out for pickup in the morning, afterward raccoons accept returned to their resting areas.
Feed dogs and cats indoors and continue them in at night:If y'all must feed your pets exterior, do so in late morning or at midday, and pick up food, water bowls, leftovers, and spilled nutrient well before dark every day.
Go along pets indoors at dark:If cornered, raccoons may set on dogs and cats. Bite wounds from raccoons tin result in fractures and disease transmission.
Prevent raccoons from inbound pet doors:Proceed indoor pet food and any other food away from a pet door. Lock the pet door at night. If it is necessary to have it remain open up, put an electronically activated opener on your pet's neckband.Note: Floodlights or motion detector lights placed above the pet door to scare raccoons are not long-term solutions.
Put food in secure compost containers and make clean upwardly barbecue areas:Don't put food of any kind in open up compost piles; instead, use a deeply covered compost structure or a commercially available raccoon-proof composter to prevent alluring raccoons and getting exposed to their debris. A covered worm box is another alternative. If burying nutrient scraps, cover them with at least 8 inches of soil and don't leave any garbage above ground in the area—including the stinky shovel. Placing a wire mesh bulwark that is held in identify with a heavy object over the in-basis compost will foreclose problems. Clean barbecue grills and grease traps thoroughly following each apply.
Eliminate admission to denning sites:Raccoons usually use chimneys, attics, and spaces under houses, porches, and sheds every bit den sites. Close any potential entries with ¼-inch mesh hardware cloth, boards, or metal flashing. Make all connections flush and secure to go on mice, rats, and other mammals out. Brand certain you don't trap an animal inside when yous seal off a potential entry.
Prevent raccoons from accessing rooftops past trimming tree limbs away from structures and by attaching sheets of metal flashing around corners of buildings. Commercial products that prevent climbing are bachelor from farm supply centers and online from bird-command supply companies. Remove vegetation on buildings, such as English ivy, which provide raccoons a way to climb structures and hide their admission point inside.
Enclose poultry (chickens, ducks, and turkeys) in a secure outdoor pen and house:Raccoons volition eat poultry and their eggs if they tin get to them. Signs of raccoon predation include the birds' heads bitten off and left some distance away, only the bird'due south ingather being eaten, stuck birds pulled half-way through a fence, and nests in severe disarray.Note: Other killers of poultry include coyotes, foxes, skunks, feral cats, dogs, bobcats, opossums, weasels, eagles, hawks, owls, other poultry, and affliction.
If a dead bird is found with no apparent injuries, skinning it may determine what killed it. If the carcass is patterned by carmine spots where pointed teeth have bruised the flesh but non broken the skin, the bird was probably "played with" by one or more dogs until it died.
To forbid raccoons and other animals from accessing birds in their night roosts, equip poultry houses with well-fitted doors and secure locking mechanisms. A raccoon's dexterous paws get in possible for it to open up various types of fasteners, latches, and containers.
To prevent raccoons and other animals from accessing poultry during the 24-hour interval, completely enclose outdoor pens with one-inch chicken wire placed over a sturdy wooden framework. Overlap and securely wire all seams on top to prevent raccoons from forcing their way in past using their weight and claws. To prevent raccoons from reaching in at basis level, surround the lesser 18 inches of the pen with smaller-mesh wire.
Debate orchards and vegetable gardens:Raccoons can easily climb woods or wire fences, or bypass them by using overhanging limbs of trees or shrubs. Wire fences volition demand to have a mesh size that is no wider than 3 inches to keep immature raccoons out.
Protect fruit trees, bird feeders, and nest boxes:To prevent raccoons from climbing fruit copse, poles, and other vertical structures, install a metal or heavy plastic barrier. Twenty-4-inch long aluminum or galvanized vent-pipe, available at most hardware stores, tin serve every bit a premade barrier effectually a narrow support. Note: Raccoons will attempt to use surrounding copse or structures as an avenue to access the surface area above the barrier.
Alternatively, a funnel-shaped piece of aluminum flashing can exist fitted around the tree or other vertical construction. The exterior edge of the flared metal should be a minimum of 18 inches away from the support. Cut the material with tin can snips and file down any sharp edges.
Trapping Raccoons
Trapping and relocating a raccoon several miles away seems an appealing method of resolving a disharmonize considering information technology is perceived every bit giving the "problem animal" a 2d chance in a new home. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is quite different. Raccoons typically try to return to their original territories, often getting striking past a motorcar or killed by a predator in the process. If they remain in the new area, they may become into fights (oftentimes to the death) with resident raccoons for limited food, shelter, or nesting sites. Raccoons may too transmit diseases to rural populations that they have picked up from urban pets. Finally, if a place "in the wild" or an urban light-green space is perfect for raccoons, raccoons are probably already in that location. It isn't fair to the animals already living there to release some other competitor into their dwelling range.
Raccoons used to a particular food source, type of shelter, or man activity will seek out familiar situations and surround. People, organizations, or agencies that illegally move raccoons should exist willing to presume liability for any damages or injuries caused by these animals. Precisely for these reasons, raccoons posing a threat to human being and pet safety should not exist relocated.
In many cases, moving raccoons will not solve the original problem because other raccoons will replace them and cause similar conflicts. Hence, it is more constructive to make the site less attractive to raccoons than it is to routinely trap them.
Trapping also may not be legal in some urban areas; check with local authorities. Transporting animals without the proper allow is also unlawful in virtually cases.
Lethal Control
Lethal control is a final resort and can never be justified without beginning applying the higher up-described nonlethal control techniques. Lethal command is rarely a long-term solution since other raccoons are likely to move in if food, water, or shelter remains available.
If all efforts to dissuade a trouble raccoon fail, the animal may have to be trapped.
While shooting can be effective in eliminating a unmarried raccoon, it is by and large express to rural situations. Shooting is considered too hazardous in more populated areas, even if legal.
Public Health Concerns
A affliction that contributes significantly to raccoon bloodshed is canine distemper. Canine distemper is also a common disease fatal to domestic dogs, foxes, coyotes, mink, otters, weasels, and skunks. It is caused by a virus and is spread most often when animals come up in contact with the actual secretions of animals infected with the disease. Gloves, cages, and other objects that have come in contact with infected animals can likewise contain the virus. The best prevention against canine distemper is to have your dogs vaccinated and kept away from raccoons.
Raccoons in Washington often have roundworms (like domestic dogs and cats do, but from a unlike worm). Raccoon roundworm does not usually crusade a serious trouble for raccoons. However, roundworm eggs shed in raccoon droppings can cause mild to serious illness in other animals and humans. Although rarely documented anywhere in the United States, raccoon roundworm can infect a person who accidentally ingests or inhales the parasite's eggs.
Prevention consists of never touching or inhaling raccoon droppings, using rubber gloves and a mask when cleaning areas (including traps) that have been occupied by raccoons, and keeping immature children and pets away from areas where raccoons concentrate. (If washing raccoon droppings from a roof, watch where the liquid matter is going.) Routinely encourage or assist your children to wash their hands after playing outdoors. Unfortunately, raccoon roundworm eggs can remain alive in soil and other places for several months.
If a person is bitten or scratched by a raccoon, immediately scrub the wound with soap and h2o. Affluent the wound liberally with tap h2o. In other parts of the The states raccoons can comport rabies. Contact your md and the local wellness department immediately. If your pet is bitten, follow the same cleansing procedure and contact your veterinarian.
Source: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/procyon-lotor
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