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.

DIY Raccoon Removal Advice

Raccoon Removal and Control 502-553-7622

Raccoon Removal and Control 502-553-7622

If you are experiencing nuisance raccoon activity in your neighborhood, it is wise to start thinking about taking some preventative measures. Otherwise, your home and property, as well as your sanity, may be at risk! Although proper raccoon control and removal is quite complex and requires years of professional experience, there are some simple “do-it-yourself” projects that can be done without professional raccoon control service. If everyone adopts these tips and strategies, it can help thwart raccoon invasion in your neighborhood for good. Continue reading to learn more about getting rid of raccoons, safely and humanely.

Tips for Putting a Stop to Nuisance Raccoons

If you have a known raccoon colony in or around your home, then be sure to never leave your garbage cans outside on the night before trash day. Raccoons are nocturnal, which means they are active in the evenings and sleep during daylight hours. At night, they search for food, and your garbage cans are prime targets. As clever mammals with excellent memories, they will remember that trash cans are sources for food, and will continue to rummage through them night after night until they are no longer viable sources of snacking. If taking your garbage outside on the morning of trash day is not an option, there are alternative solutions you can use to deter raccoons from entering your property.

Send Them a Message They Can Smell

Ammonia is a chemical agent that gives the illusion of urine, for a raccoon. Although we might perceive raccoons to be filthy and unsanitary, in their world, they are the tidy ones. They like to keep their areas and nests very clean, so they wander far from their nests if they need to relieve themselves. If they smell ammonia, they will assume the area has been marked by a predator, and will find other grounds to mark as their territory. You can even purchase coyote urine and other types of urine from common raccoon predators, and use it in place of ammonia.

Spraying or squirting the ammonia around your garbage cans can prevent raccoons from trespassing onto your property. The ammonia solution is also good for indoor use, if you find a raccoon colony in your home. Raccoons also hate peppery spices, menthol, and peppermint. Using these extracts around the perimeter of your home can help keep them away too. Moth balls in a bowl are also effective.

Use Scare Tactics and Other Non-Lethal Strategies

If predator urine is not your thing, you can purchase sound machines that imitate common raccoon predators. This will scare them from coming too close. Similarly, you can install motion lighting that turns on when it senses motion. The sudden jolt of light scares raccoons and makes them very uncomfortable. One or two times of being caught in this bright light will remain in their memory and they will make sure to not come back.

Get Rid of Raccoons in the House

Finding raccoons inside your house is startling. They can be quite messy and the amount of damage can develop quickly. They use insulation as nesting material, chew through electrical wiring, claw at drywall, soil floorboards and drywall with their droppings, and make a huge mess with their food. Furthermore, this damage can generate foul stenches and odors that can carry into the living quarters of your home. Urine and droppings can leak through ceiling panels and down wall seams, resulting in yellow and brown stains.

These are all tedious projects in themselves, but removing the raccoons is the first priority. Calling a professional raccoon removal company is the only way to remove the raccoons safely, without causing more harm to your home or the animals. If you find a raccoon nest in your garage or outdoor shed, then use the ammonia to force them to move out. Using this solution in high traffic areas of a home is not recommended. This includes the attic, garages, driveways, sheds, outdoor storage units, and similar areas are all acceptable.

Louisville Raccoon Removal and Control

Louisville Raccoon Removal

Louisville Raccoon Removal 502-553-7622

Call 502-553-7622 for professional raccoon removal service in Louisville, Kentucky and its surrounding areas. We offer a wide range of residential and commercial raccoon control services at the most affordable prices in town. Our DNR licensed and insured wildlife contractors are happy to answer your questions about raccoon removal and control, anytime. We offer emergency services, free estimates, and more.