In southern areas, cubs may go off on their own in the fall, but after dispersal will often reunite as a family from time to time in denning and feeding situations. Raccoons can live up to 16 years in the wild but most die before reaching five years. Studies show that the greatest mortality occurs during the second year of life. Principal causes of mortality are activities of man — mainly hunting, trapping, automobiles, and dogs.
Other causes can be malnutrition and disease. Natural predators are cougars, bobcats, wolves, coyotes, alligators, foxes, and great horned owls. The number of deaths caused by natural predators is insignificant compared to the number of deaths caused by man.
Raccoons are one of the few native mammals that have not been restricted to increasingly smaller areas of natural habitat by urban development. Attics and chimneys become dens and rest sites, storm sewers become subways and pet food left outdoors replaces the traditional dietary staples. This urbanization has created the potential for frequent encounters between humans and raccoons. Some of these may be problematic. The most common complaints occur when raccoons den in chimneys or attics.
This is particularly difficult if the den is occupied by a female with cubs. It is best to leave the family alone until the mother moves the cubs, which usually occurs when the cubs are about eight or nine weeks old. I know of cases where pest control companies were called to remove raccoons, and they trapped the mother raccoon and released her far away from the removal site. They then sealed the chimney or attic, leaving babies inside to suffocate or starve.
Sometimes the homeowner will hear the babies crying and will call a wildlife rehabilitator to come and get them. I would like to stress that most babies received by rehabbers have not been orphaned — they are kidnap victims! If you get a call from someone who has a raccoon in a chimney or attic, and has not called a pest control company, assure them that the mother will move the babies to another site when they are eight to nine weeks of age.
Try to persuade them to leave the animals alone until the cubs have been moved. If that fact is stressed enough, it usually works. Another sad story about raccoons is that they often get killed when hollow trees are cut down by chain saws.
If you see somebody cutting a hollow tree, please stop and tell them to check for inhabitants first. Raccoons can contract both feline and canine distemper, rabies, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, tuberculosos, coccidiosis, and toxoplasmosis. Parasites are: roundworm Baylisascaris , tapeworm, flukes, and heartworms. Canine distemper is a viral disease, spread by direct or indirect contact. It kills more raccoons than any other disease. It has wiped out complete raccoon populations in some areas.
Canine distemper cannot be transmitted to humans. All warmblooded animals can transmit rabies, however raccoons, foxes, skunks, woodchucks, and bats are considered high-risk species.
Canine distemper symptoms in raccoons closely resemble rabies symptoms. Both are related to the nervous system and may include paralysis, self-mutilation, circling, and lack of fear of humans. Rabies is spread to humans through bites or saliva from infected animals. Indeed, by some accounts- with its distinctive black markings, fox-like face and bushy tail, it is—the most easily recognized mammal in North America. Raccoons belong to the genus Procyon.
Despite what is best described as a wide and varied diet, the omnivorous raccoon is technically a member of the Carnivora order. Within the order, members are further classified according to foot structure. As such, the stocky, muscular but agile raccoon, along with the bear and man, is described as plantigrade, meaning that it walks on the sole, or plantar part of its foot.
This is in contrast to dogs and cats, which are digitigrades walking on their toes , and still further removed from seals, sea lions and walruses, which are pinniped using fins. For example, its thumbs, although not opposable, are adept, strong and functional enough to allow the species to open latches, twist off lids, open containers, etc. In terms of survival, this may be an important strategy for a creature that will eat almost anything it can secure: plant or animal; vertebrate or invertebrate; and marine, freshwater or land-based.
This includes garbage and compost; grubs, snails, worms, frogs, turtles and shellfish; rabbits; waterfowl and other ground nesting birds chicks, eggs ; backyard garden fruits and vegetables; as well as wild seeds, berries and nuts. Because they seemed to have minimal impact on forest ecology, raccoons were a protected species.
Lately, however, the population density in some regions may have reached raccoons per square kilometer and hunters have been offered rewards to cull the animals. Raccoons as Pets? In most states of the United States it is illegal to keep raccoons as pets.
Other states allow the practice, but require exotic pet permits. Young orphan raccoons and raccoons acquired from reputable breeders may make suitable pets; however, raccoons are not domesticated animals.
Training raccoons is an intensive and ongoing process, and captive raccoons may retain destructive or aggressive natural behaviors, such as biting. Some douse their food in or defecate into the water dishes of other pets. Although nocturnal, captive raccoons can be trained to sleep at night and to be active during the day.
Captive raccoons can develop obesity and other disorders due to unnatural diet and lack of exercise; furthermore, many veterinarians will not treat raccoons. Raccoons raised in captivity and released do not adapt well to life outside. The Common Raccoon: The Common raccoon Procyon lotor , also known as the Northern raccoon, racoon, or coon, is a widespread, medium-sized, omnivorous mammal of North America.
They have black facial colorings around the eyes, and have a bushy tail with light and dark alternating rings. The coat is a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur. On rare occasions, raccoons may be albino. The characteristic eye colorings make the animal look like it is wearing a "bandit's mask," which has only enhanced the animal's reputation for mischief, vandalism, and thievery.
Single Mothers: The Common raccoon usually mates in January or February and a litter of four or five young are born in April or May varies by climate.
0コメント