![[Raccoon and map of Maryland showing that they can be found statewide.]](/wildlife/art/raccoon.gif)
What do they look like?Raccoons have a distinctive black robber's mask across the eyes and black banded tail. The remainder of their body's fur is a grizzly, grayish-brown. Adult raccoons generally measure 20-30" long from their nose to the tip of their tail and weigh from 10-35 lbs.
Where are they found?
Raccoons can be found in riparian areas along streams, lakes, marshes, swamps, farmland, and in suburban neighborhoods. They can be found in urban areas where they can find adequate food water, and shelter.
What do they eat?
The raccoon is omnivorous which means they eat both plants and animals. Their diet is very broad, consisting of aquatic animals, fruits, nuts, cultivated crops and grains, birdseed, bird eggs, small mammals, birds, and garbage.
What other kind of raccoons live in Maryland?
The raccoon is the only species of its kind in Maryland.
I didn't know that!
The scientific name for the raccoon is Procyon lotor and in Latin, lotor means "one who washes". Raccoons are known for their habit of "washing" their food in water. Wildlife biologists believe that raccoons have very sensitive fingers and as they forage for food in water (crayfish, tadpoles, frogs, etc.), they actually feel what they are doing rather than see what they are about to eat.
Drawing by: W.H. Henry
Photos by: Broderbund