Template:Featurt airticle/Januar 2016
The raccoon (/raˈkun/, Procyon lotor), whiles spelt racoon, forby kent as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northren raccoon an colloquially as coon, is a medium-sized mammal native tae North Americae. The raccoon is the lairgest o the procyonid faimily, haein a body lenth o 40 tae 70 cm (16 tae 28 in) an a body wecht o 3.5 tae 9 kg (8 tae 20 lb). Its grayish coat maistly consists o dense underfur that insulates again cauld wather. Twa o the raccoon's maist distinctive features is its extremely dexterous front paws an its facial mask, whilk is themes in the mythology o several Native American ethnic groups. Raccoons is notit for thair intelligence, wi studies shawin that thay can mynd the solution tae tasks for up tae three year. The diet o the omnivorous raccoon, whilk is uisually nocturnal, consists o aboot 40% invertebrates, 33% plant fuids, an 27% vertebrates.
The oreeginal habitats o the raccoon is deciduous an mixed wid, but due tae thair adaptability thay hae extended thair range tae mountainous auries, coastal marshes, an urban auries, whaur some homeowners consider them tae be pests. As a result o escapes an deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century, raccoons is nou distributed athort mainlan Europe, Caucasie, an Japan an aa.
Tho thocht aforehaun tae be solitary, thare is nou evidence that raccoons engage in gender-specific social behaviour. Related females aften share a common area, while unrelated males live thegither in groups o up tae fower ainimals tae maintain thair poseetions against foreign males during the matin saison, an ither potential invaders. Home range sizes vary anywhere frae 3 hectares (7 acres) for females in ceeties tae 50 km2 (20 sq mi) for males in prairies. Efter a gestation period o aboot 65 days, twa tae five young, kent as "kits", is born in spring. The kits are subsequently raised bi thair mither til dispersal in late hairst. Tho captive raccoons haes been kent tae live ower 20 year, thair life expectancy in the wild is anly 1.8 til 3.1 year. In mony auries, huntin an vehicular injury are the twa maist common causes o daith.