Claim: Raccoons originally inhabited forests.

The raccoon -LRB- -LSB- rəˈkuːn -RSB- or -LSB- USræˈkuːn -RSB- , Procyon lotor -RRB- , sometimes spelled racoon , also known as the common raccoon , North American raccoon , northern raccoon and colloquially as coon , is a medium-sized mammal native to North America . The raccoon is the largest of the procyonid family , having a body length of 40 to and a body weight of 3.5 to . Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur which insulates it against cold weather . Two of the raccoon 's most distinctive features are its extremely dexterous front paws and its facial mask , which are themes in the mythology of several Native American ethnic groups . Raccoons are noted for their intelligence , with studies showing that they are able to remember the solution to tasks for up to three years . The diet of the omnivorous raccoon , which is usually nocturnal , consists of about 40 % invertebrates , 33 % plant foods , and 27 % vertebrates .   The original habitats of the raccoon are deciduous and mixed forests , but due to their adaptability they have extended their range to mountainous areas , coastal marshes , and urban areas , where some homeowners consider them to be pests . As a result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century , raccoons are now also distributed across mainland Europe , Caucasia , and Japan .   Though previously thought to be solitary , there is now evidence that raccoons engage in gender-specific social behavior . Related females often share a common area , while unrelated males live together in groups of up to four animals to maintain their positions against foreign males during the mating season , and other potential invaders . Home range sizes vary anywhere from 3 ha for females in cities to 5000 ha for males in prairies . After a gestation period of about 65 days , two to five young , known as `` kits '' , are born in spring . The kits are subsequently raised by their mother until dispersal in late fall . Although captive raccoons have been known to live over 20 years , their life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years . In many areas , hunting and vehicular injury are the two most common causes of death .