Page 6 - Talk of Tequesta - April '25

Page 6, The Talk Of Tequesta

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Raccoons – Misunderstood Masked Marauders

By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Trash pandas, bandits, a carnivore, the raccoon eats as much, if not more, plant
thieves—these are all matter as animal matter during the year. When ripe fruits,
nicknames for northern acorns, and seeds are available, raccoons feed heavily on
raccoons. Raccoons, them. At other times and places, they will feed on bird and
common throughout turtle eggs, insects, crayfish and crabs, frogs, fish and small
Florida, are a testament mammals. They’ll eat dead animals that they encounter,
to the adaptability of raid bird feeders for seed and pet food bowls for kibble and
wildlife. They can thrive check out garbage cans that aren’t secured.
in both urban and rural Raccoons are not fussy about their living quarters either.
environments, even as their Under normal conditions, they usually select a den in a hollow
natural habitats shrink. A tree limb instead of the trunk. Dens in trees may be anywhere
large part of their success from ground level to 60 feet above ground. However, in
is due to their adaptability to new challenges and urban areas, raccoons demonstrate their adaptability by
opportunities, whether that’s nesting in cozy chimneys, choosing a wide variety of “cavities,” including rock and
invading chicken coops, or breaking into trash bins, debris piles, attics, crawl spaces beneath homes, decks, sheds,
their reputation as sneaky thieves who prefer to steal culverts, sewer drains and the burrows of other animals. This
trash to survive is a testament to their intelligence and adaptability is a testament to their resilience and survival skills raccoons also help keep urban areas clean by consuming dead
resourcefulness. in the face of changing environments. animals on our streets.
Raccoons are about the size of a small dog and weigh Like all living creatures, raccoons play a critical role in their While raccoons can carry diseases such as rabies and
around 1 to 25 pounds when fully grown. They are ecosystems. Their role can be similar to that of a gardener or roundworm, good hygiene and not handling raccoons can limit
most notable for their black eye masks and ringed tails. pest control, and they’re often referred to as a natural “cleanup the spread. The best advice is to leave them alone, give them
Raccoons also have flat feet, with their hind legs longer crew.” The raccoon diet, a mix of plants, invertebrates and their space, wash your hands after gardening, and secure trash
than their front legs, giving them a hunched appearance. small mammals, serves a unique purpose in the ecosystem. cans or other tantalizing targets. If you suspect a raccoon is
Their feet have five moveable toes, allowing them to grab When they consume berries and nuts, raccoons act as natural sick or behaving unusually, it’s best to contact local wildlife
and handle food. Both a raccoon’s front and rear paws gardeners, distributing seeds to promote the growth of new authorities for assistance.
resemble a human hand, featuring five slender, finger- plants and trees. Their digging behavior contributes to soil NPDES tip: Your neighborhood drainage system is
like toes that enable them to easily manipulate food and turnover, promoting decomposition and plant renewal. not a garbage disposal – don’t treat it like one. Encourage
objects. Raccoons have extremely sensitive front paws Raccoons help control populations of parasitic species residents to take responsibility and to not dump chemicals,
with specialized hairs, allowing them to easily locate like lizards, frogs, toads and rats. When these creatures grow fertilizer, paint, oil, etc., in inlets or pipes. Discourage
and identify objects by touching them. This sensitivity abundant, raccoon populations rise to curb the population sweeping of lawn clippings and dirt into street drains
increases when their paws are wet. While it appears that growth. Raccoons also help protect bees by feeding on wasps, and disposing of lawn clippings and other debris (wood,
raccoons “wash” their food by dunking it in water, they one of the bee’s main predators. concrete blocks, Christmas trees, etc.) directly into retention
are actually using this behavior to enhance their sense Perhaps their most important role in the ecosystem is lakes. Keep drainage facilities clear of vegetation, trash,
of touch. In fact, their scientific name, Procyon lotor, consuming carrion (or dead animal carcasses), which helps improperly and illegally discarded appliances, shopping
literally means “washing dog.” When raccoons dunk their keep the ecosystem clean. In addition to benefiting ecosystems, carts, tires, cars, garbage bags, etc.
food in the water and, seemingly, wash it, they are really
just making their paws more sensitive. Water increases the
tactile nerve responsiveness of their paws, allowing them
to learn more about what they are holding and eating. The
highly developed nerves in their forepaw pads and their
manipulative abilities help them to identify items. Their
forepaws are almost like a second set of eyes. They will
often rub and roll objects in their hands or will even rub
their hands together when they are not holding anything.

Raccoons are also extremely intelligent and good at
solving complex problems. Some measures of intelligence
have placed raccoons above cats but below primates in
their ability to distinguish between objects. They have
exceptional memories and can remember the solution to
tasks for up to three years without reinforcement.
Raccoons will eat almost anything. Raccoons are not
fussy about their choice of food. Although classified as