Species guide
Raccoon
Can carry diseaseProcyon lotor
How to recognise it
A stocky, grizzled-gray mammal with a black 'bandit' mask across the eyes and a bushy tail ringed black-and-gray. Mostly nocturnal, with a hunched, ambling walk.
Is it dangerous?
A major rabies carrier, and its droppings can hold a roundworm harmful to people. Never approach, feed, or handle one — especially a raccoon that's active in daylight or acting tame or aggressive.
What to do
Secure trash and pet food. If one gets into your home or is behaving oddly, call animal control rather than handling it, and keep pets' rabies shots current.
Recorded 193,575 times in the wild worldwide.
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