Learn all about the raccoon, from size and diet to how they became slick city dwellers, including one enterprising individual who scaled a 25-storey Minnesota high-rise <\/p>
The common raccoon is North America\u2019s most numerous mammal and is famed as a nuisance! It belongs to the Procyonidae family and its nearest relatives includes the coati<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Before the urbanisation of North America, raccoons scampered mainly through deciduous woodland. With much of their former habitat gone, these excellent climbers began denning in attics instead, even in city centres. In 2018, one enterprising raccoon went viral by scaling a 25-storey Minnesota high-rise. After its 20-hour ascent, streamed live, the animal was rescued on the roof.<\/p>\n Intelligent, omnivorous, adaptable, nimble with their hands\u2026 raccoons share so many human traits, no wonder they feel at home in our built environment.<\/p>\n The 5kg bandit-masked carnivores are regarded as the ultimate urban pest by many North Americans. Not only do the \u2018trash pandas\u2019 tip over wheelie bins and dig up flowerbeds in search of food, but those dextrous digits can also raid backyard birdfeeders, pinch ornamental carp from ponds, open fridge doors in unattended kitchens and filch picnics in parks.\u00a0 Toronto \u2013 which has been called the raccoon capital of the world \u2013 spent US$24 million on a \u2018moonshot\u2019 bid to design a raccoon-resistant bin. Yep, you guessed right: the raccoons cracked it.<\/p>\n