Contrary to some popular beliefs, raccoons do
not hibernate during extreme weather conditions,
however, they can hibernate in dens and some
closed environments for several weeks where they
use up stored body fats. Raccoons are known to
eat varieties of food, and then store up layers
of fat that act as insulator to their bodies
during winter seasons. Raccoons may still stay
active during the winter period when most people
believe, they hibernate to stay warm.
Raccoons are very skillful, they can swim and
even climb the bark of trees very fast. Raccoons
are also fond of bounding up trees, and whenever
they are threatened, they can jump from trees as
high as 30 feet above the ground. Raccoons can
hunt for fish in shallow waters, and they
usually prefer habitats located around ponds,
marshes and streams. Raccoons will often prefer
meals comprising of flesh and sweet corn, and
they eat much of these.
Raccoons are always active all year round, and
they may cover between 3 and 5 miles during the
nights of fall seasons, and may consume up to 5
pounds of food to store up body fat. Though they
do not fully hibernate in winter season, but
they are not as active as during the summer
seasons. The raccoon may hibernate temporarily
in a den for few hours. The relocation of
raccoons from their den often proof abortive as
the animals do not stay where they are relocated
to.
Raccoon are often affected by several diseases,
and these diseases may also be responsible for
their inability to hibernate for a long time.
Leptospirosis is one of the diseases that has
been detected in raccoons and they can transmit
the disease to humans through biting. Rabies has
also been found to be rampant among raccoons
especially in the southern and eastern regions
of the United States of America and they can
spread these diseases mostly during the summer
period when they are most active.
During the non-hibernating periods, parasites
such as mites, flatworms, roundworms, and
tapeworms have been found to carry diseases in
raccoons. They can transfer these diseases to
pets such as cats and dogs when they bite them.
Raccoons may not be fully hibernating animals
because of their restless nature, however, their
abilities to store body fat before the winter
season makes it possible for them to stay more
in their den, and hunt less for foods, they are
however susceptible to predator attacks during
winter periods than summer times.
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