Identification:Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are medium-sized (size of a small dog) predator-scavengers with a black bandit mask and a bushy, 8-12 inches long, banded tail.

Taxonomy: Order Carnivora: Carnivores; Family Procyonidae, Raccoons

Preferred Habitat: Damp woods with streams or swamps, but will suffer in desert habitats with water.

Diet: Raccoons eat anything that doesn't run faster than they do. Their natural diet consists mainly of grasshoppers, crickets, mice, bird eggs, frogs, crayfish, fruit, and similar items. They also like to raid trash cans.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, raccoons are uncommon, but look for them along the Lower Las Vegas Wash in places like the Clark County Wetlands Preserve.

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