Distribution in British Columbia Raccoons are found widely through the south coastal area, including Vancouver Island and parts of the Okanagan Valley. General Information Raccoons prefer hardwood forest areas near water. They den in hollow trees, ground burrows, brushpiles, barns and other buildings, dense clumps of cattail or rock crevices. One litter of 3-5 young is raised per year. Most litters are born in April-May, but some females may not give birth until June, July or August.
Raccoons are nocturnal.
While raccoons are not normally aggressive and rarely injure people, they can be dangerous when threatened or cornered. They are wild animals and should be treated accordingly. Raccoons kill poultry. They can cause considerable damage to vegetable gardens, particularly sweet corn. Freshly laid sod lawns are often rolled up in search of earth worms and grubs.