Raccoons do not eat live humans and are not predators of people. They are classified as omnivorous scavengers, focusing on accessible food sources rather than hunting large prey. While highly adaptable and increasingly present in urban environments, their natural instinct is to avoid confrontation. The risks associated with raccoons relate to defensive behavior and, more importantly, the transmission of specific diseases.
Raccoon Dietary Habits
Raccoons are highly opportunistic omnivores, consuming a wide variety of plant and animal matter. Their diet in the wild consists of invertebrates, such as insects and crayfish, along with plant materials like fruits, nuts, and corn. They also occasionally prey on small vertebrates, including rodents, frogs, and bird eggs.
The success of raccoons in urban areas comes from their adaptability, allowing them to easily exploit human-provided food sources. In city settings, their diet frequently shifts to include discarded food from garbage bins, pet food left outdoors, and cultivated fruits or vegetables from gardens. This foraging behavior is driven by their need to store fat reserves, particularly in the fall.
Human Interactions and Aggression Myths
Raccoons are naturally nocturnal and generally prefer to avoid human contact, relying on their shyness and elusiveness to stay safe. They are not inherently aggressive animals and typically flee when approached by people. This avoidance behavior is their primary defense mechanism, as they instinctively recognize humans as a large threat.
An encounter can turn into a confrontation only when a raccoon feels threatened, cornered, or is protecting its young. Under these specific conditions, the animal will use its sharp claws and teeth to defend itself, resulting in a defensive bite or scratch. They also become defensive if they perceive a threat to a valuable food source.
The Actual Health Risks Posed by Raccoons
The most significant danger raccoons pose to humans comes from their capacity to transmit certain pathogens. Raccoons are a major carrier of the Rabies virus, which is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, typically via a bite or scratch. Rabies is a devastating neurological disease that requires immediate medical intervention after exposure. An infected raccoon may exhibit uncharacteristic behavior, such as staggering, unusual daytime activity, or unprovoked aggression.
A serious health risk is Raccoon Roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis). This parasitic worm sheds millions of microscopic eggs in the raccoon’s feces. Raccoons often establish communal defecation sites, called latrines, where the eggs become infectious after a few weeks and remain viable in the soil for years.
Humans become infected by accidentally ingesting these eggs, often by touching contaminated soil or objects and then touching their mouths. Once ingested, the larvae hatch and migrate throughout the body, causing a condition known as neural larva migrans if they reach the central nervous system. Young children are especially vulnerable due to their tendency to play outside and put objects in their mouths. The resulting symptoms can include severe neurological damage, loss of muscle control, or blindness.