ALBERTA INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Raccoon Information
Raccoon Tracks
Identification:
Few mammals are as easily recognized as the racoon. Their distinctive black mask and ringed tail are familiar to most people. Raccoons can be quite stocky, weighing 4.5 - 13.5 kg (10 to 30 pounds).
The Calgary area has a small raccoon population. They have been found in the region for nearly thirty years though this is not their traditional habitat. Because the are so adaptable, their numbers may grow. They live in forested areas as well as urban centers and have a preference to be near water. In Calgary, it is not uncommon to see them around Fish Creek Park.
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General Biology
Raccoons are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal foods. Part of their tremendous adaptability is their diet; they will eat nearly anything and can be effective hunters of things like fish, small rodents, and birds. Contrary to popular myth, raccoons do not always wash their food before eating, although they frequently play with their food in water.
Raccoons breed mainly in the Spring. The gestation period is about 63 days. Most litters are born in April or May but some late-breeding females may not give birth until June, July, or August. Only 1 litter is raised per year with the average litter size being 3 to 5.
Raccoons are nocturnal. They do not truly hibernate, though they will “hole up” in dens and become inactive during severe winter weather. In northern areas, raccoons depend on stored body fat to get them through the winter.
Family groups of raccoons usually remain together for the first year and the young will often den for the winter with the adult female. The family gradually separates during the following spring and the young become independent.
A family of raccoons raids a pet food bowl left out at night
Potential Damage
A raccoon's size, strength, and dexterity can create problems for homeowners. They can be very successful at gaining entrance into a shed, chimney, or even your attic! They have been known to rip away soffit, remove chimney caps, and tear through shingles or siding to get what they want. Our technicians have seen attics fouled with raccoon feces, damaged insulation, chewed wiring, and broken vent covers.
Their generalist diet may lead to overturned garbage cans, torn garbage bags, and sometimes they find themselves trapped in dumpsters.
Raccoons can also cause damage to garden crops, particularly sweet corn. Raccoon damage to sweet corn is characterized by many partially eaten ears with the husks pulled back. Stalks may also be broken as raccoons climb to get at the ears. Raccoons damage watermelons by digging a small hole in the melon and then raking out the contents with a front paw.
One of the stranger behaviours of a raccoon is sod-rolling. Numerous homeowners have described the mysterious event of finding freshly-laid sod rolled back up the morning after installation. They unroll the sod, only to find it in the same rolled-up state the following day. Raccoons are invariably the culprit; they have discovered the bounty of earthworms and grubs to be found under fresh sod!
Left: damaged vent cover. Right: raccoon latrine on a roof.
