Raccoon Population by Country 2024

On the internet, raccoons are often affectionately referred to as trash pandas. Even though they are known for digging through trash, there is something about the signature black stripe over their eyes and the incredible dexterity of their tiny hands that some people find adorable. While raccoons can live up to 20 years in captivity, they only live about 5 years in the wild. Baby raccoons are born in litters of up to six and are cared for by their mothers for about two months.

The most common species is the North American raccoon. It lives primarily in the United States but can be found well into Canada and all the way down in South America. Even though the North American raccoon has spread out, South America is home to its own species, the crab-eating raccoon. There are quite a few additional species of raccoon, although many are rare, and not much is known about them.

Raccoons adapt well, even to humans, and are prevalent in many towns and cities where they live in abandoned buildings and survive on trash and pet food. In the country, they prefer to live near water and will sometimes move into abandoned beaver lodges. They usually weigh about 22 pounds, but they have been known to successfully defend themselves against much larger predators. Currently, disease, especially rabies, is the biggest threat to raccoon populations.

The total number of raccoons around the world is unknown, but it is believed to be in the millions or even tens of millions. Where many animals become endangered after drawing the attention of humans, raccoons have not just survived but somehow thrived. During the 19th century, their fur became an important part of the fur trade. Raccoons became so popular that they were brought to France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Russia. Though not native to those regions, they have established populations there and still bother the locals.