Devoir de Philosophie

Raccoon - biology.

Publié le 11/05/2013

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Raccoon - biology. Raccoon, carnivorous mammal, found throughout the United States, southern Canada, and Central and South America, whose head is broad, tapering to a pointed muzzle, and whose ears are short and erect. The body is generally short and plump, with a long-haired coat of fur, and the tail is bushy. The legs are short; each foot has five toes, and the soles are naked. The animal walks on the soles of its feet with the heels touching the ground, similar to the practice of bears and humans. Raccoons are grayish-brown above and light gray beneath, with black cheek patches that narrow into a vertical stripe extending from the space between the eyes to the top of the head. The rest of the face is pale gray, with dark eyes and white whiskers. The tail is marked with six or seven brownish-black rings. A raccoon ranges in length from 0.62 to 1 m (2 to 3.3 ft), including its tail, which is 20 to 40 cm (8 to 16 in) long. The common species found throughout the United States usually lives in trees or near ponds and streams of forests close to civilization. During the night it hunts for poultry, mice, birds' eggs, various insects, fish, and frogs. Occasionally it varies its diet with nuts and wild fruit. It is a skillful swimmer. Northern raccoons spend the winter in a den, usually high in a hollow tree, sleeping but not hibernating, and emerging during relatively warm periods. From four to six young are born in a single litter each spring, and members of the same family live and travel together for about one year. Another species, distributed from Costa Rica to northern South America, is the agouara, or crab-eating raccoon. This animal is longer than the other species, although the tail is slightly shorter; the teeth are thicker and stronger and the fur shorter. The crab-eating raccoon is dark gray with patches of yellow. The fur of the raccoon, especially that of the northern species, has been highly valued in North America since the 17th century. Coonskin caps, and coats and robes made of the coarse but attractive fur, are still worn today. Coon hunting is practiced extensively in the southern United States. The animals are hunted at night with dogs and are usually found near swamps or streams. Scientific classification: Raccoons make up the genus Procyon of the family Procyonidae. The common North American raccoon is classified as Procyon lotor, and the crab-eating raccoon as Procyon cancrivorus. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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