BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Procyon lotor
Raccoon
| Scientific Name: | Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758) | ||||||||||
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| English Name: | Raccoon | ||||||||||
| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. 2,142 pp. [As modified by ASM the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) at https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html] | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | M-PRLO | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G5 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S5 (Mar 2025) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Yellow | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 4 - Secure (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | Breeds late winter (late January to mid-March). Gestation lasts 63 days. One litter of 3-7 (average 3-4) is produced late April to early May. Young are weaned at 10-12 weeks. Young stay with mother through winter or until next litter born. Sexually mature in 1-2 years; % of yearlings breeding varies annually and/or regionally. Males mate promiscuously. | ||||||||||
| Global Ecology Comments: | Average home range is 90-150 acres (Baker 1983). Population density was reported as l individual per 10-16 acres by Baker (1983). Winter density was 1/70.4 ha and 1/34.5 ha at two locations in Tennessee (Kissell and Kennedy 1992). Typically solitary except female with young. | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / N / N / na / |
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| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
Agriculture / Cultivated Field / Facultative - frequent use
Agriculture / Hedgerow / Facultative - frequent use Agriculture / Pasture/Old Field / Facultative - frequent use Anthropogenic / Urban/Suburban / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Dry / Facultative - occasional use Forest / Conifer Forest - Mesic (average) / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Moist/wet / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Mixed Forest (deciduous/coniferous mix) / Facultative - frequent use Lakes / Lake / Facultative - frequent use Lakes / Pond/Open Water / Facultative - frequent use Ocean / Intertidal Marine / Facultative - frequent use Other Unique Habitats / Beach / Facultative - frequent use Other Unique Habitats / Estuary / Facultative - occasional use Riparian / Riparian Forest / Facultative - frequent use Stream/River / Stream/River / Facultative - frequent use Wetland / Bog / Facultative - frequent use Wetland / Fen / Facultative - frequent use Wetland / Marsh / Facultative - frequent use Wetland / Swamp / Facultative - frequent use |
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| Global Habitat Comments: | Various habitats; usually in moist situations, often along streams and shorelines. Dens under logs or rock, in tree hole, ground burrow, or in bank den (Armstrong 1975). | ||||||||||
| Food Habits: |
Carnivore: Adult, Immature
Frugivore: Adult, Immature Granivore: Adult, Immature Invertivore: Adult, Immature Piscivore: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | Opportunistic omnivore; eats fruits, nuts, insects, small mammals, bird eggs and nestlings, reptile eggs, frogs, fishes, aquatic invertebrates, worms, garbage, etc.--whatever is available. Often forages along streams. Obtains most food on or near ground near water. | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: |
Crepuscular: Adult, Immature
Nocturnal: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Phenology Comments: | Primarily nocturnal and crepuscular. May become dormant when foraging trail is covered by deep snow. Young may be active in colder subfreezing weather than are adults. Activity may be reduced on nights of full moonlight. | ||||||||||
| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 95/ / 21600 | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | Southern Canada, United States (except parts of the Rocky Mountains and desert southwest), Mexico, and Central America south to Panama; introduced in parts of Europe and Asia (Wozencraft, in Wilson and Reeder 2005). | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | Hammerson, G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Jan 31, 1994 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | |||||||||||
| Last Updated: | |||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Armstrong, D. M. 1975. Rocky Mountain mammals. Rocky Mountain Nature Asscoc., Inc. 174 pp. |
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B.C Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks. 1992. Preventing Raccoon Problems. (Brochure). |
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Baker, R. H. 1983. Michigan mammals. Michigan State University Press. 642 pp. |
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Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp. |
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Belant, J. L. 1992. Homing of relocated raccoons, Procyon lotor. Can. Field-Nat. 106:382-384. |
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Caire, W., J. D. Tyler, B. P. Glass, and M. A. Mares. 1989. Mammals of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Oklahoma. 567 pp. |
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Clearwater, Denise H., et al. 1989. Taxonomic analysis of t he coastal marsh raccoon (Procyon lotor maritimus) in Maryland. Brimleyana 15:31-36. |
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Conover, M. R. 1990. Reducing mammalian predation on eggs by using a conditioned taste aversion to deceive predators. J. Wildl. Manage. 54:360-365. |
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Decker, D. M., and W. C. Wozencraft. 1991. Phylogenetic analysis of recent procyonid genera. Journal of Mammalogy 72:42-55. |
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Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp. |
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Hamilton, W. J., Jr., and J. O. Whitaker, Jr. 1979. Mammals of the eastern United States. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, New York. 346 pp. |
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Kazacos, K. R. 1983. Raccoon roundworms (Baylisascaris procyonis) - a cause of animal and human disease. Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, Indiana. 25 pp. |
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Kidder, J. D., et al. 1989. Prevalence of patent Baylisascaris procyonis infection in raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Ithaca, New York. J. Parasitol. 75:870-874. |
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Kissell, R. E., Jr., and M. L. Kennedy. 1992. Ecologic relationships of co-occurring populations of opposums (Didelphis virginiana) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Tennessee. J. Mamm. 73:808-813. |
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Lotze, J.H. and S. Anderson 1979. Procyon lotor. Am. Soc. Mamm., Mammalian Species No. 119. 8 pp. |
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Ritke, M. E., and M. L. Kennedy. 1988. Intraspecific morphologic variation in the raccoon (PROCYON LOTOR) and its relationship to selected environmental variables. Southwestern Naturalist 33:295-314. |
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Schwartz, C. W., and E. R. Schwartz. 1981. The wild mammals of Missouri. University of Missouri Press, Columbia. 356 pp. |
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Taulman, J. F., and J. H. Williamson. 1993. A simple apparatus and technique for anesthetizing raccoons. Am. Midl. Nat. 129-:210-214. |
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Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1994. Species Summary: Procyon lotor. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Apr 5, 2026).