By Josie  March 6th, 2024

12 Reasons Why Raccoons Are Undeserving of the Title of Trash Pandas

They can thrive in urban, suburban, and wild areas alike, which, although sometimes a nuisance to humans, showcases their resilience and intelligence.

#1 Adaptability

Their highly dexterous front paws are almost as versatile as human hands. These handy hands allow them to open jars, unlatch cages, and even unlock doors.

#2 Dexterous Hands

Studies show that they can remember a solution to a problem for as long as three years. After all, how much do you remember from three years ago?

#3 Excellent Memory

Equipped with a tapetum lucidum, raccoons have superior night vision that aids in their nocturnal activities.

#4 Night Vision

With strong limbs and sharp claws, raccoons are skilled climbers, able to ascend trees and buildings with ease to escape predators or find food.

#5 Impressive Climbers

They are capable of crossing rivers and streams to find food or escape threats, using their swimming abilities to thrive in various habitats.

#6 Great Swimmers

It’s all too often overlooked that they’re quite brainy animals with and cognitive abilities comparable to those of primates.

#7 Brainy-ness

While often seen as solitary, raccoons can form tight-knit communities. In these little raccoon families, they can be seen sharing food sources and living space

#8 Social Creatures

Contrary to popular belief, raccoons often wash their food before eating, a behavior that indicates a level of cleanliness not typically attributed to them.

#9 Cleanliness

In the wild, they teach their kits survival skills and care for them for a long time until they are independent.

#10 Protective Mothers

Raccoons can adapt their diet and behavior based on the season – in other words, they’re nothing but picky eaters.

#13 Seasonal Eaters

In captivity, raccoons have demonstrated the ability to use tools to access food, indicating a level of problem-solving ability and intelligence.

#14 Tool Use

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