Raccoons have a bad reputation. The threat of rabies, appetite for farm chickens, and artful ability to knock over trash cans can make them more of a nuisance than a marvel. However, there are still plenty of reasons to love raccoons.

1. They have hands… sort of

Raccoons have an extremely well-developed sense of touch. Their hands enable them to grasp all kinds of objects, climb, and see their world through their paws. Raccoons are constantly feeling around with their paws and using them much like hands to open latches, twist off lids, and open containers. But their rear paws are just as impressive- they can rotate 180 degrees, enabling raccoons to climb down trees head first. Raccoons are so known for their hand-like paws, that the Powhatans first named them “aroughcun”, meaning “animal that scratches with its hands.” The Aztecs later named them “mapachitli”, meaning “one who takes everything in its hands.”

2. They keep your yard pest-free

As omnivores, raccoons can live on pretty much anything. Their delicacies include birds, insects, fish, and snakes, though they also tend to dine on fruits, nuts, seeds, and even our house scraps. So, while raccoons are susceptible to a range of threats, starvation is not one of them! Thanks to their eclectic tastes, raccoons help keep your yard free of pests. Some of their food options that we’re happy to see gone include wasp larvae and small rodents. They even destroy the wasp nests as they dine, saving us an extra task!

3. They’re country bumpkins and city slickers

Due to their ability to survive on pretty much any diet, they can survive well in cities. Raccoons can adapt and survive in pretty much any environment, in fact. Due to exportation, raccoons have been found all across the globe (though far less commonly), and have made it work regardless of the varying environments. They adapt so well that one was even kept as a pet in the White House by Calvin Coolidge (though we do not recommend this!)

4. They’re insanely smart

Raccoons are incredibly smart. So smart, in fact, that they were rejected as lab animals because they kept out-smarting the scientists! Deemed too smart, adaptive, and strong-willed, raccoons took a back seat to rats as the ideal lab animals.

Several studies over the years show just how intelligent raccoons are. In one study, raccoons opened 11 of 13 complex locks in less than 10 tries and had no problems repeating doing so again, even when the locks were rearranged or turned upside down. Another study showed their impressive long-term memory when raccoons instantly distinguished between identical and different symbols three years after a short initial learning phase. Yet another study showed their ability to differentiate hidden objects when raccoons distinguished boxes containing two or four grapes from those containing three. Their high IQ puts them just below monkeys on the intelligence scale- so they’re not just cute little bandit faces!

5. Their masks do more than add to their cuteness

Raccoons are known for their black markings across their eyes, or “bandit mask.” But these adorable masks do more than give them character. These masks help reduce glare from the sun and perceive contrast in low light, allowing them to see better at night.

6. They’re clean eaters

Another unfortunate misconception about raccoons is that they’re unhygienic. Not many people know this, but raccoons will wash their food before they eat it. Using their unique “paw hands”, they prefer to dip their food in water, wiping it of debris before eating it. So, while they may dig around in your trash for scraps, they will wash it off first if given the option.

7. They’re great communicators

Raccoons can make a variety of sounds, which are each associated with a different emotion. They can growl, scream, whistle, purr, grunt, or hiss, depending on their mood. If you pay attention to these sounds, you can tell if a raccoon is happy, fearful, hungry, or calling out to their young.

8. They will leave you alone if you leave them alone

Given the option, raccoons would much rather keep to themselves than engage in combat with anything. Some people are deathly afraid of raccoons attacking them, but if you pay attention to the vocalizations noted above, you can tell if you’re being warned to back away. Respect a raccoon’s space and they are more than happy to respect yours!

9. They save us from disease

Different bacteria and parasites use raccoons as hosts. Raccoons can carry a number of zoonotic diseases, hence the need for raccoons and humans to appreciate each other from afar. However, if raccoon populations lessened or became extinct, these organisms would need to find a new host..possibly in humans. Thanks to raccoons for taking one for the team!

10. They’re the reason Christopher Columbus was put on the map

While Christopher Columbus was not actually the first to discover America, he did make an important note on raccoons during his arrival. Ok, Christopher Columbus has far more to his name than this. But, he is noted for having the first written account of raccoons.

Article from: https://greatandsmol.com/love-raccoons/#:~:text=They%20keep%20your%20yard%20pest,is%20not%20one%20of%20them!