He put on the “thief mask” to win the evolutionary struggle. 10 interesting facts about raccoons (13 photos)

Raccoons are unique animals that have gained an advantage in the evolutionary race. He doesn't care about anything!





When all other species of wild animals are becoming extinct due to human actions (deforestation, pollution, hunting, etc.), raccoons manage to increase the population. They thrive in conditions where the number of other animals is sharply reduced!

Raccoons are hunted for their fur, but the animals' population paradoxically continues to grow.



Raccoons originally appeared in North America. In the 1930s, these animals were brought to the USSR and Germany, from where they began to actively populate the surrounding countries.

One of the reasons for the raccoon's success in the evolutionary race is its developed intelligence. Biologists believe that according to this criterion, the raccoon is not inferior to the domestic cat, which is rare in the wild. After all, the cat has evolved for thousands of years, living with humans. During selection, the more capable were selected. And raccoons surpassed dogs in their ability to remember.





Scientists published an article in the journal Animal Cognition, where they presented the results of the study. The raccoons were given clever puzzles. There were treats inside. But to get them, they had to be solved. For example, throwing stones into the water so that the water level decreases and you can get marshmallows. Half of the raccoons successfully completed the task. And some females joined forces and turned over the feeder to get a tasty treat for free.



Female raccoons are generally more social. If you see a group of raccoons, then most likely they are females. They communicate and act collectively. Males prefer solitude.

Intelligence helps raccoons easily overcome obstacles created by humans. Fences, closed containers, etc. are a ridiculous obstacle for them.

When other species of animals retreat under the pressure of humans, the raccoon, not at all embarrassed, makes a home nearby. Raccoons love the edges of fields and suburbs.

He doesn’t know how to dig holes, but he willingly climbs into strangers’.



When other animals die because of humans, the raccoon only gets fatter

Its effectiveness and safety in nature is influenced by nocturnal lifestyle. Raccoons are the kings of the night; they navigate in the dark even better than cats due to their hypersensitive whiskers. Raccoons are one of the few animals that can gallop in complete darkness. Try to catch this one!

The speed reaches up to 24 km/h. For an antelope or leopard - not enough, but for a nocturnal animal in pitch darkness - more than enough.



The raccoon is omnivorous and absolutely unpretentious. When it's cold, it goes into hibernation. It defends itself aggressively from predators. It has excellent immunity - it gets sick much less often than most animals.

Raccoons have “pianist fingers.” These thin fingers are very dexterous - they can easily penetrate anywhere. Therefore, a raccoon can open a door by turning the handle and climb into a closed garbage bin.



People are a source of food for him. No, of course raccoons don’t eat people. But people store so much delicious food, it would be a shame not to take advantage of it! Coming at night and stealing food or rummaging through the trash is no problem for him. It's easy to rob a bird feeder!



In the 1920s, an attempt was made to breed raccoons instead of laboratory rats. Their high level of intelligence made it possible to carry out a variety of experiments of a wider scope. But the raccoons turned out to be very difficult to deal with. They gnawed through the walls of their shelters, constantly ran away and, in general, refused to live in captivity in the laboratory. They hid in ventilation pipes and stole food from scientists.

As a result, the idea of ​​experimenting with raccoons had to be abandoned.



The famous raccoon prefers to wash food first and then eat it. The main reason is that the striped raccoon often gets food that is dirty in the ground or silt. And he, thus, cleanses it of dirt.



But it's not just about clean food! It turns out that raccoons have increased sensitivity in their paws, where there are a lot of nerve endings. And by dipping them in water, he can use them to gather more information. Including about the food he is going to eat. What a gourmet! Not like the majority of fellow fauna, who indiscriminately stuff everything into themselves.

In the wild, the raccoon feeds seasonally. In the summer, he eats more animal food, gaining fat and refueling with healthy protein. In autumn he prefers plant foods. And in winter, as a rule, he sleeps.



The raccoon itself, in addition to people, is hunted by a whole galaxy of harsh predators. Wolves, coyotes and even hawks and owls are not averse to feasting on raccoons.

Why do you think a raccoon needs a “thief mask”?



It serves a very practical purpose.

Dark markings dampen the glare of the sun. Less glare, which means it helps you see. And better camouflage in the dark. Black eyes against a dark background are less visible to potential predators.

Among people, the harm of raccoons has become legendary. They steal food and throw garbage away. However, raccoons can be very helpful. In California, for example, they are used to control harmful rodents. And raccoons cope with this no worse than cats!