In the world there are a great variety of animals with special characteristics, however, others are similar to each other, either because of their behavior, customs or physical appearance. The raccoon is among the species that have some "distant cousins" in the animal kingdom. Do you want to meet them?
In this article on our site we will show you a list of raccoon-like animals, as well as many curiosities about these peculiar mammals. Keep reading!
Raccoon Features
Raccoons are mammals native to the American continent, however, there are also some populations that live in Europe as an invasive species. It inhabits forests near rivers and areas with abundant food. It is an omnivorous animal, its diet consists of frogs, fruits, plants, insects, bird eggs and crocodiles, among others.
In terms of appearance, the raccoon is 60 cm tall and weighs from 15 to 20 kg His coat is silver almost all over his body, except for his tail, which has black rings, likewise, his face has a black mantle spot around each eye, giving him the appearance of wearing a mask.
Among the curiosities about the raccoon it is possible to say that they are solitary animals, due to this, the females only look for company when they are in mating season. The gestation period of the species spans 73 days and they produce up to four young. Despite its cute appearance and calm behavior, the raccoon is not a pet, since due to the needs of the species its life in a apartment.
Types of Raccoons
There are three species of raccoon and several subspecies, each with its own particular characteristics. For this reason, before knowing what the raccoon-like animals are, we will show you some images of the types of raccoons that exist:
Water popé
The aguará popé (Procyon cancrivorus) is also known as South American raccoon, as it lives in a large number of countries on the continent, such as Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It measures 70 cm in length and reaches 15 kg It is a solitary animal and a good climber. It feeds on crabs, shrimp and fish. It prefers to live sheltered in tree holes, rock crevices, abandoned buildings and similar spaces.
Boreal Raccoon
The boreal raccoon (Procyon lotor) is found in Panama, the United States, and Canada. It can live up to 20 years in captivity and an average of 12 years in its natural habitat. One of the main threats to the boreal raccoon is indiscriminate hunting, especially in the United States. In addition, the species is frequently run over on roads, as they stray from their natural habitats to enter human populations.
Guadalupe Raccoon
The Guadalupe raccoon (Procyon lotor minor) owes its name to the Guadalupe region , located in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean Sea. Unfortunately, this species is in danger of extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an institution that has classified it as "Endangered" Its main threat is hunting and the deterioration of its habitat.
Tres Marias Raccoon
The Tres Marías raccoon (Procyon lotor insularis), owes its name to the region it inhabits, since it is a native of the called the Tres Marías, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is characterized by a fur of shades of brown instead of grey.
Cozumel Raccoon
The Cozumel raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus) is a species endemic to the island of Cozumel , off the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico). This specimen differs a little from the other species of raccoon: first of all, it is much smaller and weighs 4 kg, it also has a black band from each cheek to each eye, and it has a golden tail. This species is classified "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN.
Raccoon-like animals
Despite not being related, there are some raccoon-like animals. Among them it is possible to mention:
Coati
The coati (Nasua nasua) is an omnivorous mammal that lives in America, specifically in the United States, Argentina and Paraguay. It reaches 140 cm in length and highlights the size of its tail, which can be as long as the body. Its limbs, however, are short, while the snout is elongated and the eyes are large. The behavior of the species is different from that of raccoons, since they are very sociable animals and usually live in communities of 5 to 20 individuals.
Lesser Panda
The lesser panda (Ailurus fulgens) is native to the Asian continent. It is 60 cm long and weighs just 5 kg. It is known as the raccoon-like animal that eats bamboo, since its diet is mainly based on this plant. In addition, it also feeds on roots, fruits, eggs, birds and lizards. Regarding its appearance, it has a reddish-brown body, very soft to the touch and with white spots on its face.
This species is listed as "Vulnerable" according to the IUCN Red List. The loss of their habitat has been the main cause of this situation, due to the disappearance of their food sources, in addition, indiscriminate hunting and deforestation have contributed to it getting worse in a short time.
Kinkajú
The kinkajou (Potos flavus) is a mammal native to the jungles of Central and South America It stands out for its prominent tail, which it uses to climb and balance on the branches of trees. In addition, its body reaches 58 cm in length, it is elongated and muscular, with a rounded head and eyes, and short, skillful legs. As for their fur, it is thick and short, they come in different shades, but brown or yellow is common. This species feeds on flowers, herbs, bird eggs, insects and honey, among others. After the gestation period, the female gives birth to a single pup.
Northern Cacomixtle
The northern cacomixtle (Bassariscus astutus) is a mammal native to North America, where it lives in rocky areas, in areas with trees or even in abandoned buildings where it makes its burrows. It measures 40 cm in length and has a tail of the same size, it is a light animal, it only weighs 1.5 kg. Its fur varies, the color can be yellowish gray or dark brown, with a black ringed tail and a white chest. It is a nocturnal species and solitary, making it difficult to spot. It feeds on fruits, plants, insects, lizards and small birds.
Olinguito
The olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) inhabits Colombia and Ecuador, where it lives in humid areas. It feeds on some insects, fruits and plants. It is characterized by its dark, brown and black tones. It has an average size of 35 cm in length and weighs 900 grams It is a solitary species and a good jumper, a method it uses to move through the branches of trees.
