What Animals Eat Raccoons?

Raccoons are powerful animals, have you ever wondered or asked yourself what animals eat raccoons?

Raccoons can escape being eaten by humans by being secretive at night and by utilizing defensive sounds like hissing, growling, and barking to scare away potential predators.

It’s a carnivore’s world, and eventually, even a carnivore needs to eat. Here, we’ll investigate the question, “What animals eat raccoons” in greater detail.

Read on to unveil what animals eat raccoons.

 

How Do Racoons Defend Themselves?

Predators rarely go after a raccoon that appears to be in good health. However, when they are, how can a raccoon defend itself from a larger predator like a fox or coyote?

The raccoon is not an easy target. Medium-sized mammals, often weighing between 15 and 25 pounds, are commonly found in urban areas.

These obese creatures are no match for the common home cat. No predator has a preference for raccoons over any other species. These predators typically target raccoons when they have a window of opportunity to do so.

The raccoon could be elderly, young, ill, or hurt. Now that you know how raccoons protect themselves, let us look at your question, what animals eat raccoons?

 

Read also: Epsom Salt Repellent For Raccoons

 

What Animals Eat Raccoons?

There are lots of animals that eat raccoons, as you continue reading, you’ll get to know what animals eat raccoons.

Young raccoons, unable to adequately protect themselves, are especially vulnerable and frequently become prey.

They are also easy prey if they are elderly, sick, or injured (from things like automobile accidents or fights with other raccoons).

Let’s check out what animals eat raccoons and see how they make use of the raccoon’s intelligence, resourcefulness, and physical prowess to feed on them.

 

1. Coyotes

Both raccoons and coyotes have adapted effectively to the increasing human population. Raccoons and coyotes do rather well in areas near people, whereas bobcats and mountain lions avoid them.

As a result, it is not uncommon for these two rogues to cross paths while they’re both out and about, either hunting or trying to hide from humans’ watchful eyes.

Although raccoons don’t make up a significant portion of a coyote’s diet, the crafty canine isn’t above taking advantage of an easy opportunity for sustenance.

Coyotes’ primary source of nutrition is the white-tailed deer. Plants, rodents, voles, rabbits, and even foxes are all fair game if they happen to cross paths.

Raccoons and coyotes typically avoid each other. Coyotes don’t often go for raccoons since the animals are too large for them to bring down with ease.

Since every species has an exceptional nose, they may easily avoid encounters with one another.

Read also: Do Raccoons Eat Dead Animals?

 

2. Snakes

Raccoons are opportunistic feeders, and when the time is right, they have been known to take advantage of snake populations by eating small, harmless snakes like garters.

Our masked robbers have run into trouble in the Florida Everglades.

The trade-in of exotic pets has led to the introduction of Burmese pythons and anacondas to the everglades. They’ve even thrived.

Regardless, this is an unusual occurrence even in the southeastern United States, where snakes and raccoons coexist.

Raccoons face danger from rattlesnakes and other dangerous snakes only if the raccoon actively pursues them or if the snake is startled. Most venomous snakes prefer to feast on rodents like mice and moles.

 

3. Wolves

 

When hunting huge game like deer, bison, or elk, wolves typically work together as a pack due to their social nature. They are the largest of the canine family, the Canidae.

In terms of fur color and facial form, these animals resemble coyotes, but they are significantly larger.

According to Colorado State University, although coyotes weigh anywhere from 20 to 35 pounds, even the smallest adult wolf weighs 60 pounds, and larger males can weigh up to 115 pounds.

Contrarily, raccoons have a significant weight disadvantage, typically being around 15 pounds.

The geographic range is another distinction between wolves and coyotes. Because of their abundance and distribution, raccoons present a greater risk of encountering coyotes.

Because of human intolerance, wolf populations have been drastically diminished. Even so, this doesn’t mean that wolf and raccoon territories never meet together.

However, wolf packs normally do not bother a raccoon when they are actively hunting. These predators prefer to hunt larger animals. It is only when the raccoon is on its own during a hunt that the wolf becomes a significant threat.

Read also: What Does Raccoon Like to Eat?

 

4. Bobcats

Some people never see a bobcat in their entire lives. These evasive animals prefer to keep to themselves.

While this may be the case, bobcats can be found in nearly every US state. Bobcats have been seen to go into suburban areas in quest of food as recently as a few years ago.

While their lynx relatives thrive in colder climates, bobcats have a harder time tracking down prey in snowy regions.

There is a huge size disparity between male and female bobcats. Female bobcats can be as little as a large house cat, even though males can be up to 30 pounds.

It’s for this reason that female bobcats rarely attack raccoons. A 2005 study found that they prefer eating rabbits and hares.

The bobcat, known for its patience during hunts, may cover up to 7 kilometers in pursuit of its prey. To further reduce noise, they land with their hind feet in the same spot as their front feet.

When hunting raccoons, they adopt this stealthy method before killing the prey with their strong jaws and claws.

 

5. Red Foxes

Just like wolves and coyotes, red foxes are highly adaptable members of the canid family. You can find them from the southern tip of Central America all the way ctic Circle.

Since both raccoons and red foxes are able to canust to new settings, they frequently coexist in the same areas.

They are both nocturnal, however, foxes can be spotted during the day when they are actively hunting or moving between cover.

According to research conducted by the University of Michigan, a red fox’s ideal diet consists of rabbits, mice, and occasionally fruit.

The chances of a red fox eating a raccoon due to hunting are lower than the odds of the fox eating roadkill. Kits and young raccoons are easy prey for foxes because they are about the same size as rabbits.

The red fox typically lives a solitary existence. They are not social animals like wolves and do not gather in packs.

Because of this, a red fox is not very likely to make a regular target out of a raccoon. A certain condition, like the appearance of an elderly or ill raccoon, or a very young raccoon, is more likely to take place.

 

Read also: Attic Fogger for Raccoons

 

6. Mountain Lions

Mountain lions, like bobcats, are elusive predators. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever come across one in your lifetime.

The same might be true for a raccoon. As their name suggests, mountain lions’ primary source of sustenance is the venison of deer.

They are most at home in remote, forested locations, so mountains and canyons are top choices.

Even in areas where raccoons and mountain lions share a habitat, the lions are not likely to engage in the regular pursuit of raccoons. They prefer to prey upon deer.

Although raccoons can be found in every state in the US, they usually stay away from the mountainous regions and other high-altitude areas that are preferred by mountain lions.

On the other hand, mountain lions are not restricted to high altitudes. Mountain lions are neither strictly nocturnal nor diurnal in their habits.

Scientific studies have demonstrated that they will adjust their behavior to match that of their prey. If the local deer are active at night, so are they.

 

7. Alligators

Northern raccoons and desert dwellers in the United States need not worry about encounters with American alligators.

According to the Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, the largest of these formidable predators can weigh up to a thousand pounds and grow to an average length of 8 to 12 feet.

Like alligators, raccoons prefer to settle in areas close to water. Alligators and raccoons live side by side from North Carolina to Texas.

Because raccoons enjoy eating crayfish and clams, they may come into touch with alligators.

They might be able to bluff their way out of it or flee by climbing a tree if they aren’t taken off guard, like a raccoon who happens upon a basking alligator.

 

Conclusion

I believe you have gotten an answer to your question about what animals eat raccoons. We have listed animals that often feed on racoons, although we have read that it might be hard at times due to racoons defensive behaviour.

Even though raccoons live in a potentially dangerous environment, they are typically able to avoid capture by any but the most determined of predators.

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