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Raccoon

(Procyon lotor)

 

Category: Mammals

 

 

These medium sized mammals are native to North America and are known for their intelligence, facial mask, and dexterous paws. Their dark mask is thought to reduce glare and improve their night vision. Their most important sense is the sense of touch - almost two-thirds of the area responsible for sensory perception in the raccoon's cerebral cortex is specialized for interpreting tactile sensations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon

 

Data & Facts

Scientific Classification
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Mammalia
Order - Carnivora
Family - Procyonidae
Genus - Procyon
Species - P. lotor

 
Did you know?
Interesting Animal Facts

The age-defying Brandt’s bat

In most mammals, larger size correlates with longer lifespan, but that is not the case with the Brandt’s bat, who can live up to 41 years and weigh less than 0.28 ounces! These bats resemble larger, longer-lived mammals in that they mature slowly and have fewer offspring – but the size difference is dramatic: a female Bonobo lives for approximately 40 years as well, but she outweighs the Brandt’s bat by a factor of 3,771! Oddly enough, it is suspected that the mutated gene that causes the bat’s dwarfish size is the same one that leads to its long lifespan. Studying animals with unusual longevity like the Brandt’s bat does more than just satisfy our curiosity, it could lead to longer, healthier lifespans for humans and other animals!

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