On warmer days raccoons will then wake up to forage for food before returning to their den for more rest. Their body temperatures drop along with their blood sugar during this time. Though not a true hibernation, a raccoon can sleep in a curled up position in their den for weeks, significantly reducing the amount of energy needed to survive. Like some animals enter hibernation when winter hits, raccoons enter a state called torpor. In nature, they most often use hollow trees but will move into abandoned or occupied buildings if the opportunity arises. ShelterĪs temperatures drop, raccoons will actively build dens or seek out shelter to keep them warm and protected from the elements. A raccoon’s fat stores are located mostly in the tail, which can help them stay warm by wrapping it around themselves. This fat is then used to supplement what food the raccoons are able to scavenge, and they will typically lose 15-50 percent of their body weight depending on how severe the winter is. Similar to how a hibernating animal stocks up on food and fat stores before going to sleep, raccoons take steps against starvation by increasing their fat levels in the summer and fall months. Winter diets typically consist mainly of acorns, fruits, insects, and crippled animals – though they will always take advantage of the easily accessible dumpster or garbage can. The ability to utilize any food course available makes it so that raccoons are always well-fed. They often get nutrients from plants, animals, eggs, insects, and human sources like food scraps and garbage cans. Raccoons are omnivores, and this comes in handy for them during the cold season when food is scarcer. From changing their diets to seeking shelter, and entering a state similar to hibernation called Torpor, raccoons make plenty of changes during the winter months. Raccoons are very adaptable by nature which makes them well suited for the winter months. While there are many different animal species that hibernate for the winter all around the world, the raccoon is not one of them. Here in Florida where the climate is mild year-around compared to other parts of the country, hibernating animals are few and far between. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands.
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