Subspecies of the Common Raccoon

Learn about the three different raccoon species and all their subspecies too! Raccoons are special and intelligent mammals that have a lot to offer when it comes to fun facts and nature.

Louisville Raccoon Removal 502-553-7622

Louisville Raccoon Removal 502-553-7622

The Common Raccoon, or Procyon Lotor, is also referred to as the Northern raccoon and is primarily found along the Southeastern borders of Canada, all the way through the Northern regions of the United States, and even down through the Gulf of Mexico. Northern raccoons are the most prevalent species found in North America, and retain the characteristic qualities that we all think about when we think about raccoons. They have the long, striped, bushy tails and the bandit-like mask that we all know so well, and the long claws and human-like paws too. They are highly intelligent mammals whose studies have shown they can remember solutions to tasks up to three years later! This is where the familiar phrase, “sly coon” comes from.

Raccoon Species

There are only three species of raccoon, which includes the common raccoon, as well as, the Cozumel Island raccoon and Crab-Eating raccoon. These other two species are only native to the tropics and are rare. Aside from the three main species of raccoon, there are several subspecies found all across the world, from Europe to Japan, in Central America, the Caribbean, and more. Continue reading to learn more about raccoon subspecies.

Raccoon Subspecies

Some species of raccoon were thought to be separate and distinct, but are now classified as subspecies to other species of raccoon. For example, the now-extinct Barbados raccoon, the Guadeloupe raccoon, and the Tres Marias raccoon were thought to be their own species, but several studies later on proved they were simply subspecies to the common raccoon.

Since 2005, twenty two subspecies of raccoon have been formally recognized.

• Eastern Raccoon (P.I lotor)
• Florida Raccoon (P.I elucus)
• California Raccoon (P.I psora)
• Texas Raccoon (P.I fuscipes)
• Snake River Valley Raccoon (P.I excelsus)
• Mexican Plateau Raccoon (P.I hernandezii)
• Baja California Raccoon (P.I grinnelli)
• Kay Vaca Raccoon (P.I auspicatus)
• Upper Mississippi Valley Raccoon (P.I hirtus)
• Mississippi Delta Raccoon (P.I megalodous)
• Torch Key Raccoon (P.I incautus)
• Maria Madre Island Raccoon (P.I insularis)
• Saint Simon Island Raccoon (P.I litoreus)
• Ten Thousand Islands Raccoon (P.I marinus)
• Bahaman Raccoon (P.I maynardi)
• Pacific Northwest Raccoon (P.I pacificus)
• Colorado Desert Raccoon (P.I pallidus)
• Isthmian Raccoon (P.I pumilus)
• Short-Faced Raccoon (P.I simus)
• Vancouver Island Raccoon (P.I vancouverensis)

If you are experiencing a nuisance coon problem, contact a local and licensed animal control service right away. These special mammals should never be harmed or killed. A trusted animal removal company will trap them and relocate them to a faraway and safer habitat.

Raccoon Removal Louisville

Louisville Raccoon Removal

Louisville Raccoon Removal 502-553-7622

Call 502-553-7622 for DNR licensed raccoon control services that are both safe and humane. We never harm or kill raccoons, and neither should you! Instead, enlist the services of our licensed wildlife rescue contractors for non-lethal raccoon exclusion and control. We don’t just get rid of raccoons, we also provide cleanup services and minor attic restorations from raccoon damages. Call 502-553-7622 to request a free estimate, today.

General Overview of the Common Raccoon

There are many different kinds of raccoon species in North America, and even the world! These animals are fascinating creatures to learn about because they are so clever and interesting. Raccoons are often given a bad name due to nuisance raccoons in residential and commercial areas; however, this is due to housing developments and new construction that pushes raccoons out of their natural habitats. There are certainly nuisance raccoons and other animals in our neighborhoods, but in the wild, raccoons are intriguing animals that are worth reading about!

Distinctive Features of a Raccoon

Raccoons are most noticeable by their striped bushy tails and black furry face masks that lays across their eyes. This is where they nailed the nickname, “bandits”, in regards to their mischievous ways. Raccoons also have incredibly dexterous paws that lets them grip and clasp onto things. This is an advantage over other forest animals. They are also mammals that typically weight between 8 to 20 pounds, depending on species and age. Raccoons can be brown and black, or gray and black, and any combination in between. This also depends on which species and part of the world they are from. They have dense fur that dries quickly. It keeps them cool in the hot seasons and warm in the colder ones. They have slightly pointy snouts and whiskers, giving them a cat-like look.

Raccoon Food Chain

Raccoons are omnivores. This means they eat almost anything, from small vertebrae to fruits, nuts, and fish. The diet is a beneficial one because they can live up to twenty years, so long as they steer clear from dangerous roads and predators. Raccoons can be preyed on by mountain lions, bob cats, cougars, and other large forest animals. The most vulnerable to predators are raccoon babies, called kits. Raccoons give birth to usually 1-5 kits. Their gestation period is short, lasting for only about 65 days. Raccoons are good mothers, but let their young run free once they have learned to fend for themselves.

Raccoons and Disease

They stereotype is that all raccoons have rabies, or some other disease that can be harmful to humans and domesticated animals; but the truth is, any animal can carry rabies and pass it along to another. Raccoons may very well have rabies, but it is just as likely that every other animal has it too. The crux of the matter is that not all raccoons have rabies, but should still be avoided at all times because it is difficult to tell if they are ill or not. Most likely, raccoons are more scared of us then we are of them, making raccoon attacks very unlikely.

Louisville Raccoon Removal

Call Louisville Raccoon Removal at 502-553-7622 for prompt and humane raccoon control service in Kentucky. We are DNR licensed raccoon control contractors with decades of experience working with wild raccoons. We have the safe and affordable solutions to get rid of raccoons and prevent them from retuning in the future. Our friendly wildlife removal contractors are happy to answer questions, give advice, and manage your raccoon problems, anytime. Give us a call at 502-553-7622 to learn more about raccoon control in Louisville, KY today.