Raccoons are mammals that are readily recognized because of their black face-mask and ringed tail. They are seen regularly in urban as well as in wild places – especially near water or accessible garbage. A raccoon’s mask serves much the same purpose as the charcoal rubbed beneath a football player’s eyes – it reduces glare from bright sunlight, thus enhancing vision. For the raccoon, the glare is often reflections of sunlight from shallow water white the raccoon is wading in search of food. The ringed tail breaks up the outline of the raccoon, making it less visible to predators in weedy habitats.
The presence of raccoons in urban areas is largely a function of human garbage and pets that are fed outdoors. While raccoon babies are cute and readily seen, they are not abandoned animals that need to be rescued and often do not make good pets. As they grow up, they become increasing aggressive and capable of opening cages and places where food is stored. Enjoy them in the wild – best seen at dusk near water or in trees bearing fruit.