Descriptive
Information
- Field
marks: Best known for their broad,
black mask across their eyes, raccoons also have black stripes around
their tail. They are grizzled, grayish brown over most of their
bodies, though narrow muzzle and buffy feet tend to be darker as
well.
- Size:
32 inches long, 9 inches wide
- General
habitat: Woods and scrub near water are typical places
to find them, though raccoons have been known to live in towns as
well.
- General
Range: They live all over the United
States, from East Coast to West.
- Field
Observations: The racoon's we saw
were traveling as a group, three were close together while one was
further back, I was able to follow the last racoon as he came down
from the trees the family had been climbing. When he realized I
was pursuing him he tried to come back ashore, but the way was blocked,
sometimes by me, sometimes by the mangrove roots that were between
us. When he turned around again, to walk back along the seashore
where he'd come from, Andrew came up the trail on that end, effectively
trapping him in place so we could observe him for a moment. He did
finally manage to get around us, but not before I got a really good
look at him, face on. Later that night, as our group slept, the
raccoons of the island came out to forage. We had buried our water
supply in the sand, so that at least was not available to them,
but that didn't stop them from snooping
around and near our camp to see what possible goodies we might
have left out. They kept some of our group awake by their squabblingÑwhich
was rather loud.
- References:
Alden, Peter; et al. National Audubon Society: Field Guide
to Florida. Alfred A. Knopf: New York. 1998.
- Video
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