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Raccoons are stocky-bodied, usually solitary, and nocturnal mammals of the genus Procyon in the family Procyonidae (no, I can't pronounce that either). They are generally regarded as consisting of seven species: the North American raccoon, P. lotor; the South American crab-eating raccoon, P. cancrivorus; and five other species, each confined to one or more small islands off Florida and Mexico and in the West Indies. The North American species, which is divided into about 25 geographic varieties, or subspecies, is from 23 to 30 cm (9 to 12 in) high at the shoulders and from 40 to 60 cm long, plus a 24- to 26.5-cm tail. Its weight is usually between 5.5 and 7.25 kg (12 and 16 lb), but very fat specimens may exceed 18 kg (40 lb). The long, coarse fur of the North American raccoon is commonly yellowish gray to grayish brown, with markings of four to ten (usually five or six) dark rings on the tail and a black mask across the face and around the eyes.

Raccoons prefer swampy areas or......

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Approximate Pages: 2 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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