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Love Them Or Hate Them, Raccoons Are Crafty Critters

  • mmcmahon09
  • Dec 31, 2019
  • 2 min read

Raccoons are one of the most common animals in Illinois. They are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. We don’t often see them during daylight.

A raccoon hanging out on a tree limb. (Photo via Shutterstock)

Some people love raccoons because of their appearance. For others, raccoons cause a lot of problems. This is often because they are good at getting into garbage cans and can make a big mess.


Whether you love them or dislike them, raccoons are a common sight in Will County. Here are some interesting facts about them.


Fun Facts

  • You probably know what a raccoon looks like because of its identifying characteristics. They are mostly brownish-gray. They are known for their masked faces, which make them look they are wearing a bandit-style mask. They also have long, ringed tails.

  • Raccoons will eat almost anything! They are omnivores, which means they eat plants and animals. Common foods include fruits, nuts, insects, frogs and rodents.

  • Their big appetite for all foods has earned raccoons a few fun but unusual nicknames. People sometimes call raccoons “trash bandits” or “trash pandas” because they will eat almost anything.

  • Raccoons are very good climbers, and they also know how to swim.

  • On average, raccoons weigh between 15 pounds and 20 pounds. In Illinois, raccoons in the northern part of the state are bigger than raccoons in the southern part. The average weight for a male raccoon is 19 pounds in the northern part of Illinois, compared with 14 pounds for males in southern Illinois.

  • Raccoons do not have a lot of predators. They are sometimes attacked by coyotes, cougars and bobcats. The biggest risks to raccoons in the wild are diseases and getting hit by cars.

  • Raccoons live across most of the United States, but you won’t find them in the Rocky Mountain region or in Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

  • Male raccoons are called boars, and females are sows. Baby raccoons are called kits.

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