Raccoon Facts for Kids

Raccoons have a black mask and a ringed tail. Their front paws work like hands. They come out at night.

A raccoon's front paws are very sensitive, especially when they are wet, so it can feel what it is holding without looking. It often dunks its food in water before eating it, which is where its science name, lotor, comes from: it means the washer. At night raccoons climb, wander and look for fruit, nuts, eggs, frogs and insects.

Raccoons live in forests, near streams and in towns, and they are most active after dark. They eat almost anything, from berries and nuts to crayfish and insects, which is why they sometimes visit trash cans. Their hind feet can turn backward, which lets them climb down trees headfirst. Raccoons are smart and good at solving puzzles, like opening latches, but wild raccoons should never be fed or handled, so it is best to watch them from a distance.