Raccoons & their safety

Raccoons eat a variety of plant materials but tend to avoid certain plants, such as tomatoes, which are too acidic for their preference. They are exceptionally agile climbers, capable of rotating their back legs 180 degrees to achieve a stronger grip. 

Raccoons hunt and control populations of insects, crayfish, small rodents, frogs, fish,  bird eggs, and small reptiles. On the other hand, they are food for larger predators like hawks, owls, coytes, and young snakes. 

Raccoons often scavenge in garbage bins, raid gardens, and damage agriculture crops. They also seek shelter in human structures such as attics, sheds, and chimneys. 

In the wild, raccoons face a variety of natural predators, including cougars, bobcats, wolves, coyotes, alligators, foxes, and great horned owls. While these predators are a danger, human activities like hunting and trapping are the leading causes of raccoon mortality. 

In natural environments, raccoons maintain a varied diet consisting of fruits, nuts, insects, and small animals. However, the availability of food often varies with seasonal changes and environmental factors.

Deforestation and habitat loss diminish the number of natural shelters such as hollow trees and rock crevices. As a result, raccoons are compelled to seek alternative refuges, leaving them more exposed to predators and extreme weather.

Other than human-raccoon conflicts known for the raccoons' notoriety for leading to property damage, poor waste management in urban areas offers raccoons easy access to food. Overflowing trash bins and unsecured garbage bags attract them, contributing to a rise in urban raccoon populations.