Though they prefer habitat along streams, they occupy a wide variety of habitats in the Bay watershed and are hunted enthusiastically. The raccoon, Procyon lotor , is an omnivorous nocturnal mammal with a heavy gray, black and brown coat, a black mask and black-ringed tail. Often hunted for its fur, the raccoon nevertheless has adapted to civilization and frequently forages for food in suburban trash cans. In the watershed the raccoon prefers to inhabit trees, preferably near streams, springs or rivers. Raccoons also hunt at night, feeding on mice, insects, fish and frogs.
Some mammals divide their time between land and water, such as the river otter.
In the watershed otters live in dens next to streams and rivers and often construct underwater entrances. Otters have short, strong legs and webbed feet with claws, a characteristic that permits them both to dive for fish and to feed on smaller mammals and fish. The Bay also is home to several species of aquatic mammals, including dolphins and manatees. Dolphins are fairly easy to spot in the deep waters near the mouth of the Bay because they have to surface to breathe nearly every two minutes. Manatees prefer estuaries, rivers or coastal waters.