Raccoon, sometimes called raccoon, also known as common raccoon, North American raccoon, commonly known as raccoon or garbage panda, is a medium-sized native mammal in North America. Raccoons are the largest of the protozoans, ranging in length from 40 to 70 cm (16 to 28 inches) and weighing between 5 and 26 kg (11 to 57 pounds). Its grey coat consists mainly of dense fur, which insulates it from cold weather. The three most unique features of raccoons are their extremely dexterous forepaws, masks and circular tails, which are the themes of Native American mythology. Raccoons are known for their intelligence and research shows that they can remember task solutions for up to three years. The diet of omnivorous raccoons is usually nocturnal and consists of about 40% invertebrates, 33% plant foods and 27% vertebrates.

The original habitat of raccoons is deciduous forest and mixed forest, but due to their adaptability, their range has been extended to mountainous areas, coastal swamps and urban areas, which some homeowners think are pests. Raccoons are also found in Germany, France, Denmark, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the Caucasus and Japan due to their escape and intentional introduction in the mid-20th century.

Although previously thought to be lonely, there is now evidence that raccoons engage in gender specific social behavior. Females who are related usually share a common area, while males who are not related live together in the form of up to four animals, so as to maintain their opposition to foreign males and other potential invaders during the mating season. Housing ranges from 3 hectares (7.4 acres) for women in cities to 5000 hectares (12000 acres) for men in prairie areas. After about 65 days of gestation, two to five young people were born in spring, known as "little kangaroos.". The kits were then raised by their mother until they were distributed in late autumn. Although raccoons are known to live more than 20 years in captivity, their average life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years. In many areas, hunting and vehicle injuries are the two most common causes of death

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