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GamesQuizzesPersonality QuizzesPuzzlesActionFunny Fill-InVideosAmazing AnimalsWeird But True!Party AnimalsTry This!AnimalsMammalsBirdsPrehistoricReptilesAmphibiansInvertebratesFishExplore MoreMagazinehistoryScienceSpaceU.S. StatesWeird But True!Subscribemenu On land, raccoons lumber around on all four paws like a bear. But, unlike bears, they don't hibernate in winter.

On land, raccoons lumber around on all four paws like a bear. But, unlike bears, they don't hibernate in winter.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. In cities, raccoons scavenge around garbage bins and will eat scraps of food and other trash found there.

In cities, raccoons scavenge around garbage bins and will eat scraps of food and other trash found there.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Raccoons are nocturnal (active at night) mammals that live throughout much of the world, from North and South America to Asia, in wooded areas and big cities alike.

Raccoons are nocturnal (active at night) mammals that live throughout much of the world, from North and South America to Asia, in wooded areas and big cities alike.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Raccoons pack on extra pounds in the fall. Among their favorite foods on land are fruits, seeds, nuts, birds' eggs, and plants.

Raccoons pack on extra pounds in the fall. Among their favorite foods on land are fruits, seeds, nuts, birds' eggs, and plants.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.1 / 41 / 4On land, raccoons lumber around on all four paws like a bear. But, unlike bears, they don't hibernate in winter.On land, raccoons lumber around on all four paws like a bear. But, unlike bears, they don't hibernate in winter.Photograph by Songquan Deng, Dreamstime

Animals
Mammals

Common Name: RaccoonsScientific Name: Procyon lotorType: MammalsDiet: OmnivoreGroup Name: NurseryAverage Life Span In The Wild: 2 to 3 yearsSize: 23.75 to 37.5 inchesWeight: 4 to 23 pounds

During winter in cold northern climates, raccoons sleep for extended periods, although they don't actually hibernate. To prepare for cold winters, raccoons pack on extra body fat in fall. This extra fat helps provide the raccoon with energy when it's too cold to search for food.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

On land, raccoons lumber around on all four paws like a bear. Among the raccoon’s favorite foods on land are: fruits, seeds, nuts, birds' eggs and plants. In cities, raccoons scavenge around garbage bins and will eat scraps of food and other trash found there. Raccoons are also excellent swimmers, hunting fish, frogs, and crayfish. Raccoons live for around one to three years in the wild. In captivity, where the raccoon doesn’t need to worry about finding food or outwitting predators, some have lived as long as 20 years.