Raccons
ROXY, our female raccoon, had a rough start in life. She was born in an attic alongside her littermates, but somehow, she became trapped inside a wall of the home. The homeowner had to break through the drywall to rescue her and immediately noticed that she had a severe injury—her left hind foot was damaged, and she had a deep gash across her stomach. He took her to a wildlife rehab facility, where she was deemed non-releasable due to her injuries. That’s when she found her way to Animal Tracks.
As soon as Roxy arrived, we took her to our veterinarian, who discovered that her foot was dislocated and most of the bones in it were broken. We had the dislocation reset and allowed the fractures to heal naturally. Today, you’d never know she had been injured at all—she’s as active and playful as ever!
RASCAL, our male raccoon, has a very different story. He was a classic “rehab fail.” While being rehabilitated, he imprinted on his caregiver and completely lost his natural fear of humans. Because of this, he could not be released into the wild—approaching people without hesitation would have put him at serious risk, likely leading to euthanasia.
When Roxy and Rascal met, it was love at first sight—just like any great love story. To this day, they eat, sleep, and play together, forming a bond that’s stronger than most human relationships! These two prove that even in the world of wildlife rescue, there’s always room for a little romance.
ORDER: Carnivora
FAMILY: Procyonidae
GENUS: Procyon
SPECIES: Lotor
The raccoon is native to North America and parts of Mexico and Canada. In the 20th century, it was also introduced to Russia, Germany and Japan. They are able to live in a wide range of habitats, from cold grasslands, to warm tropical areas. They do need to be close to water, this is one of the animals that lives quite well in our urban areas, but being nocturnal, you will rarely, if ever, see them. Related females share common areas, while unrelated males live in small groups together. Raccoons are normally nocturnal, but may sometimes be active during the day to take advantage of available food sources. They are omnivores, and what they eat depends greatly on their environment. They commonly eat fruits, nuts, berries, rodents, frogs, eggs, insects & crayfish and in urban areas garbage. Raccoons are promiscuous. They breed February to June, have a 2 month gestation and the female gives birth to 4-5 kits. Weaning occurs at 70 days. Raccoons are so smart they have been known to pick a lock in fewer than 10 attempts. They can solve problems and remember solutions.
Threats
Disease from domesticated animals. Human trapping. Cougars, coyotes, bobcats and car accidents.
Conservation Status
LC - Least Concern