Common Raccoon

(Procyon lotor)

Conservation  •  Description  •  Habitat  •  Ecology  •  Distribution  •  Taxonomy

Conservation Status
Common Raccoon
IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

  
NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

  
Minnesota

not listed

  
     

Description

 

Size

Total length: 29¾″ to 37″

Tail: 9″ to 12″

Sign

 

Similar Species

 

Habitat

Deciduous forests, prairies, agricultural areas

Ecology

Behavior

 

Lifespan

5 to 16 years

Life Cycle

 

Food

 

Distribution

Distribution Map

  

Sources

7, 24, 29, 30.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 12/2/2025).

Timm, R. M. 1975. Distribution, natural history, and parasites of mammals of Cook County, Minnesota. Occasional Papers, Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota 14:1–56.

Hazard, Evan B. 1982. The Mammals of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 280 pp.

The counties in light green lack modern records but have historic county or township specimens or records.
12/2/2025  
   
   
   
   

Occurrence

Common

Taxonomy

Class

Mammalia (Mammals)

Subclass

Theria

Infraclass

Placentalia (Placental Mammals)

Magnorder

Boreoeutheria

Superorder

Laurasiatheria (Ungulates, Carnivorans, and Allies)

Order

Carnivora (Carnivorans)

Suborder

Caniformia (Dog-like Carnivores)

Infraorder

Arctoidea

Parvorder

Mustelida

Family

Procyonidae (Raccoons, Coatis, and Allies)

Genus

Procyon (Raccoons)

Subordinate Taxa

Baja California Raccoon (Procyon lotor grinnelli)

California Raccoon (Procyon lotor psora)

Desert Raccoon (Procyon lotor pallidus)

Eastern Raccoon (Procyon lotor lotor)

Florida Raccoon (Procyon lotor elucus)

Hernandez Raccoon (Procyon lotor hernandezii)

Isthmian Raccoon (Procyon lotor pumilus)

Matecumbe Key Raccoon (Procyon lotor inesperatus)

Mexican Raccoon (Procyon lotor mexicana)

Mississippi Delta Raccoon (Procyon lotor megalodous)

Pacific Raccoon (Procyon lotor pacificus)

Saint Simon Island Raccoon (Procyon lotor litoreus)

Snake River Valley Raccoon (Procyon lotor excelsus)

Texas Raccoon (Procyon lotor fuscipes)

Vancouver Raccoon (Procyon lotor vancouverensis)

 

The following subspecies have been synonymized with California Raccoon (Procyon lotor psora).

Southwestern Raccoon (Procyon lotor californicus)

 

The following subspecies have been synonymized with eastern Raccoon (Procyon lotor lotor).

Alamaba Raccoon (Procyon lotor varius)

Bahamian Raccoon (Procyon lotor maynardi)

Barbados Raccoon (Procyon lotor gloveralleni)

Guadeloupe Raccoon (Procyon lotor minor)

Key Vaca Raccoon (Procyon lotor auspicatus)

Key West Raccoon (Procyon lotor incautus)

Upper Mississippi Valley Raccoon (Procyon lotor hirtus)

 

The following subspecies have been synonymized with Florida Raccoon (Procyon lotor elucus)

Ten Thousand Islands Raccoon (Procyon lotor marinus)

 

The following subspecies have been synonymized with Mexican Raccoon (Procyon lotor mexicana).

Campeche Raccoon (Procyon lotor shufeldti)

Costa Rican Raccoon (Procyon lotor crassidens)

Dickey’s Raccoon (Procyon lotor dickeyi)

Synonyms

Procyon gloveralleni

Procyon lotor flavidus

Procyon lotor gloveralleni

Procyon lotor maynardi

Procyon lotor varius

Procyon maynardi

Procyon minor

Procyon nanus

Procyon priscus

Procyon simus

Ursus lotor

Common Names

Common Raccoon

Northern Raccoon

Raccoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos

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Gerry Garcia
Common Raccoon

Norm & Peg Dibble
Common Raccoon   Common Raccoon
 

May 2018 Raccoon in broad daylight eating cracked corn.
Last night after getting two inches of rain and a little hail here in Maple Grove, this (possibly young) Raccoon showed up just off the cement patio enjoying some of the peanuts that we always throw out there for birds and squirrels. He’s probably been coming every evening. It’s just so surprising that they show up in broad daylight. This was 7:45pm. I called Norm to bring the camera upstairs to photograph him. He also recorded him. They are quite cute pawing at the grass. Norm opened the patio door because it was full of fresh raindrops. So the picture is quite crisp. Its fur is still a little wet from the rain. He even talked to this one who didn’t seem to care.  
 

 

Dan W. Andree
Common Raccoon

A young raccoon I encountered on a trail through my brothers woods in rural Norman Co. Mn.

Christa Rittberg
Common Raccoon   Common Raccoon
     
Common Raccoon    

MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Common Raccoon   Common Raccoon

 

Camera

 

Slideshows

Raccoons (Procyon lotor)
Tania Simpson

Raccoon
Gerald (Wayne) Prout

 

slideshow

 

Visitor Videos

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Norm & Peg Dibble

VID_20190718_214447153.mp4
Published on Jul 18, 2019

About

July 18th 2019 evening, I heard some racket. I turned on the patio flood light just in time to see the same mom Raccoon chase away another adult out on the island area of our pond and gather her three kits to cross over the stream and head for our patio where there were some peanuts. I got several videos and still photos. Too bad I just asked Norm to put in a yellow bug light in the floodlight last week. This is taken with my Droid smartphone which was handy. We’ve only seen Raccoons with their kits a few times in the 30 years we’ve lived here in Maple Grove.

Gerry Garcia

northern raccoon 01
Published on Jul 17, 2019

About

northern raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Other Videos

Raccoon (Procyon Lotor)
NatureBytes

About

Uploaded on May 27, 2009

This common animal is found throughout the U.S. and Mexico. It has adapted well to people and is considered by many to be a pest becuse it raids pet's food and garbage cans.

Rabid raccoon? Austin, Minnesota
Insight2012

About

Published on Oct 27, 2012

This video was filmed in September 2012 in Austin, Minnesota. A 3year old girl was recently bitten by a raccoon in Austin and the animal tested negative for rabies and distemper.

MNBound Eagles Mom Chases Raccoon from Nest 5-31-13
989razzle

About

Published on May 31, 2013

Just after dusk a large raccoon climbs over edge of the nest but is attacked by Mom. Mom misses the raccoon but slides down at nest edge. Raccoon are a threat and a danger to eaglets even larger than these two are.

Cam
http://www.ustream.tv/mneaglecam

Minnesota Bound Eagle Blog
http://www.mnbound.com/bald-eagle-blog/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Minnesota.Bound.Live.Eagles

Broadband Corp's wireless network
http://www.broadband-mn.com/

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings

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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.

Norm & Peg Dibble
7/15/2019

Common Raccoon

Location: Maple Grove, MN

Last night after getting two inches of rain and a little hail here in Maple Grove, this (possibly young) Raccoon showed up just off the cement patio enjoying some of the peanuts that we always throw out there for birds and squirrels. He’s probably been coming every evening. It’s just so surprising that they show up in broad daylight. This was 7:45pm. I called Norm to bring the camera upstairs to photograph him. He also recorded him. They are quite cute pawing at the grass. Norm opened the patio door because it was full of fresh raindrops. So the picture is quite crisp. Its fur is still a little wet from the rain. He even talked to this one who didn’t seem to care.

Gerry Garcia
7/16/2019

Common Raccoon

Location: Nine Mile Creek, Bloomington, MN

Norm & Peg Dibble
May 2018

Common Raccoon

Location: Maple Grove, MN

Raccoon in broad daylight eating cracked corn.

Dan W. Andree
2017

Common Raccoon

Location: rural Norman Co. Mn.

A young raccoon I encountered on a trail through my brothers woods

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Binoculars