The Raccoon (Procyon lotor) with masked face and striped tail is now ubiquitous, but this North American native was once confined to the southeastern United States until the late nineteenth century. Due to hunting for its meat, the raccoon was extirpated from Hispaniola by 1513 and not seen in Jamaica and Cuba after 1687. The species name lotor, Latin for “washer,” describes the raccoon’s habit of dousing food in water. In fact, our name for the raccoon comes from a Powhatan phrase, “he scratches with his hands.” Raccoons are not actually washing food, but are simply investigating their meal using pads in their paws which have increased sensitivity when moistened. Procyon, “before the dog,” may describe the belief that raccoons evolved before dogs.
Did you know that our American native is spelled “Racoon” with one c in in the British world?
