The drought has forced wildlife into residential areas in Lake County. While we hear a lot about bears, deer and mountain lions, one animal that is common and visits just about every residence in the county is the raccoon. There are literally thousands of raccoons in the county.
The raccoon is a native animal and is one of the smartest animals. Its species goes back more than 30 million years. Down through the years they have adapted to people and often live beneath houses, in attics and in old sheds and barns. Their diet consists of bugs, small birds, small animals such as mice and ground squirrels, and various plants. They hang around homes because of the availability of pet food. They occasionally carry rabies and also have round worms, which can be transmitted to humans.
Raccoons weigh from 12-15 pounds and have a bushy tail displaying four to seven rings. They have a black mask that covers their eyes and nose. The tracks of the raccoon are very distinctive. The hind foot is long, narrow and rests flat on the ground such as that of a bear. The front paw is hand-like, with long toes that are well separated. This permits the raccoon to use his front paws with almost the agility of a monkey”s hands. They are mostly nocturnal, which means they are rarely seen during the daytime, and that is one reason so many are killed by cars. They are hit when they cross roads at night. A drive down just about any backroad in the county will reveal several dead raccoons. Raccoons are excellent hunters. They can swim and often catch fish and crawdads.
One trick raccoons have learned is how to open screen doors and gain access to homes. One woman in Buckingham told me three raccoons learned to open her screen door and one morning when she got out of bed and walked into her living room the three raccoons were sitting on the rug. She said they ignored her. A resident of Clearlake Oaks said a raccoon learned to gain access to his home through the doggie door. The raccoon would get into the utility room and eat the cat food. He finally had to close off the doggie door permanently to keep the raccoons out.
Raccoons breed during January and February and most of the young are born March through May. Litters average three to four but can range from one to eight. The young are weaned 60-90 days and become semi-independent at about 130 days. A raccoon can live as long as 20 years but in the wild few survive for more than five years.
Raccoons are very adaptable and tolerant of most human activity. However, they can become pests when they prey on domestic animals or consume cultivated fruits, vegetables and other crops. Great horned owls, bobcats, mountain lions, bears and domestic dogs prey on raccoons. Diseases carried by raccoons include trichinosis, rabies, leptospirosis, tularemia, and Chagas” disease. Canine distemper is an important mortality factor, especially among the young.
Raccoons are classified as fur-bearing animals by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DWF). The season for them is from Nov. 16 through March 16. There is no limit and they can be taken with rifles and pistols with a caliber no larger than .22. A number of people kill and sell the pelts from raccoons.
A few people have made pets out of baby raccoons. They tame easily but can turn mean when they become adults. It is against the law to keep a raccoon.
While many local residents think raccoons are pests I enjoy watching them. They are part of the abundant wildlife that exists in the county and that”s what makes this place so special.
