Raccoons: A Natural HistoryThe word raccoon is drawn from the Native American Algonquian language. Their term arakun roughly translates to “he who scratches with his hands.” Anyone who has found a raccoon rummaging around in a once securely closed trash container can attest to how skillful raccoons are with their front paws. In fact, they have four times as many sensory receptors in their forepaw skin as they do in their hindpaws, a ratio similar to that of human hands and feet. Samuel Zeveloff explores this trait and much more in his accessible natural history of raccoons. Written with the general reader in mind, Raccoons presents detailed information on raccoon evolution, physical characteristics, social behavior, habitats, food habits, reproduction, and conservation, as well as their relationship with humans and many other topics. The section on distribution and subspecies focuses on the raccoon’s current range expansion, and the material on their cultural significance demonstrates this mammal’s unique status in different North American cultures. |
Contents
Raccoon Origins | 9 |
Todays Raccoon Family | 27 |
Form and Function | 57 |
Distribution and Subspecies | 75 |
Living Arrangements | 91 |
Mortality and Disease | 111 |
Reproduction and Development | 121 |
Social Organization | 135 |
Management | 145 |
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activity adult males Allen's olingo animals appear areas behavior cacomistle carnassials Carnivores Chapter coat color common raccoon coon Cozumel Island coati crab-eating raccoon cubs dens densities disease distribution dog branch early eastern Florida forests fossil Fritzell genus gray habitat hairs harvest home ranges hunting and trapping individuals Island raccoon Journal of Wildlife juveniles kinkajou km² known larger litters males and females mammals marshes mask mating Mexico miacids million years ago molars mortality mother North America northern occur olingos overlaid with black patterns pelts percent population's predation Procyon lotor procyonids rabies raccoon family raccoon populations Raccoon Procyon lotor red panda region relatively reproductive ringtail Saint Simon Island sexual similar skull South southern species subfamily subspecies survival tail teeth Texas throughout tion traits trees typically upper usually Valley raccoon various vary weasel family white-nosed coati Wildlife Management winter yearlings young