Wildlife Costa Rica – 9 Truths About Raccoons
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Raccoons are medium-sized mammals that learned to live close to humans. And have a reputation of nocturne thieves. In real life they are just animals trying to adjust to the changes men are producing. They are found throughout different landscapes of Costa Rica such as rainforests, cloud forests and beaches.
Here are some things that will make you understand them a little bit better:
1. The dense under-fur is almost 90% of the raccoon’s grayish coat. Two of its most distinctive features are its black paws and its facial mask.
2. Females often share a common area, while unrelated males live together in groups of up to four animals to maintain their positions against foreign males during the mating season and other potential invaders.
3. Although captive raccoons have been known to live over 20 years, their average life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years.
4. After a gestation period of about 65 days, two to five young are born in spring. The kits are raised by their mother until its time to leave in late fall.
5. Raccoons usually mate in a period between late January and mid-March. During the mating season, males roam their home ranges in search of females in an attempt to court them during the three-to four-day-long period when conception is possible. These encounters will often occur at central meeting places.
6. Hunting and traffic accidents are the two most common causes of death in many areas. They are not endangered.
7. Raccoons are also noted for their intelligence. Studies have shown that they are able to remember the solution to tasks up to three years later.
8. Tree hollows in old oaks or other trees and big rocks are preferred by raccoons. If they are unavailable or accessing them is inconvenient, raccoons utilize burrows dug by other mammals.
9. These guys are 41 to 72 cm long and can weigh between 7.9–19.8 pounds.
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