Raccoons: A Natural History

The name "raccoon" is drawn from the Algonquin term arakun and 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. This is one of the many facts about these complex mammals that Samuel Zeveloff reveals using an accessible writing style that is sure to satisfy both the curious camper and the ardent naturalist.

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.