Rayne
(Raccoon)
Procyon lotor
Raccoons are one of the most
unusual looking mammals in North America.
They are easily identified by their plump body, ringed tail, and narrow,
black face mask with two white patches above the eye. They are found virtually
all over the United States, and are allowed as pets in many states; hence, the
reason for our permanent residents. They
have a great sense of smell and hearing, but most of all a dexterous sense of
feel. They have a reputation for
“washing” their food which probably comes from their preference in the wild to
hunt and forage near creeks and streams.
They are very intelligent and mothers pass on many survival techniques
to their young.
Rayne is a young female
raccoon born in Indiana. The family
found her as an orphan and raised her to be part of the family. When they relocated to California, they knew
they had to find a home for her. They
were sad to have to give her up, but they admitted
she was getting hard to handle despite the entire family giving her constant
attention. Rayne is our shyest raccoon
preferring to hide in her tree stump until supper time. She is probably the least friendly raccoon
towards people, but she is fearless enough of people to cause problems if
released.