Raccoon

__**Appearance**__
Raccoons can be 85 cm long. Raccoons have 2 fur coats. They have a thick brown undercoat and a long brown grey black outer coat. Raccoons have a pointy face and a big nose. Adult raccoons' faces look like they are wearing a black mask. The baby's eyes are protected because their eyes are closed. They have a long bushy tail with 5 to 10 black rings. They can sometimes weigh 5 to 10 kg. Raccoons have really sharp claws.

__**Habitat**__
Raccoons live in a den so the babies are safe. Raccoons live in dark forests and they dig a big hole in trees. They live alone in the south of Canada and sometimes you can find raccoons on your trampoline. You can find them on Vancouver Island and in Abbotsford. Raccoons live in forests because some of the their predators, like dogs, can't climb the trees. Racoons live near water because if anything tries to hunt them they can go into the water and escape.

__**Diet**__
Raccoons will eat just about anything. Racoons like to play with their food before they eat it. They hunt for food at night time. Here are some of the foods they hunt for: little fish, big fish, turtles, insects, mice, and frogs. Raccoons hunt for eggs in the morning because the mom is out gathering food for them. They go and find food like grapes, berries, seeds, nuts, apples and corn. They travel far away to find different foods.

__**Predators**__
Raccoons have a few predators and here are some of them: foxes, lynx, dogs, the Great Horned owl, and people. Sometimes people can catch raccoons in a cage. The great horned owl can attack the babies when the babies wander away. These are all of the predators that the raccoon has.

__**Offspring**__
Raccoons can have 3 to 4 babies in the spring. Raccoons have a litter every year. Some times the baby raccoons are called kittens or cubs. They can't see or hear. When a baby raccoon is born, they have a mask. The babies don't have a ringed tail. The babies don't open their eyes when they are 20 days old. Raccoons have to stay in the den for 8 to 10 weeks. That is what they look like.

__**Adaptations**__
Raccoons are good climbers because they have really sharp claws. Raccoons have long fingers to catch food. They have sharp teeth to hold fish in. They have a tail to keep them balanced and to keep them warm. Raccoons have good hearing so they can hear their predators. They are also good swimmers too.

__**Cool Facts**__
Here are some cool facts about raccoons. The babies can be called kittens or cubs. Sometimes they can have 3 to 4 babies. Raccoons play with their food before eating it. Raccoons like to play. Raccoons can open just about anything. They climb down head first. Raccoons can go upside down.

References @http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/kids/animal-facts/raccoon.asp @http://www.aitc.sk.ca/saskschools/animals/raccoons.html Kostyal, K.M. __Raccoons__. Washington, D.C: The National Geographic Society, 1987. McKeown, Gail & McDermott, Barb. __All About...Canadian Animals - Raccoons__. Edmonton, AB: Reidmore Books Inc, 1998