Raccoons are indeed very good at swimming and they hunt for food both on land and in water. The raccoon’s natural habitat is in wooded areas, especially near water bodies. It is however able to do well in cities and suburbs, where it typically makes its den in trees, caves, sewers and even in people’s houses (attics and chimneys).
They can move quickly in water, just like their sure movements on land. On the average, a raccoon can hit a speed of 15 miles per hour on the ground, they climb with great agility and can comfortably drop from a height of 35 to 40 feet.
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Aside being excellent runners and climbers, the raccoons are wonderful swimmers even though they would opt for land travel over water. This may be because their furry body is seemingly not adapted to water living. Their body furs are not waterproof and they increase the animal’s weight while swimming. But they can still swim with an average speed of about 5 km/h (3 mph) and they are able to stay in the water for several hours at a time.
There is more to the ability of a raccoon to swim. It is an omnivorous animal and its foods include frogs, shrimps, salamanders and fish, all of which live in water. This constitutes a motivation for the raccoon to swim many a time.
The scientific name of the raccoon also points to its natural relationship with the water. Procyon lotor means ‘washes with hand’. The raccoon has a heightened sense of touch and its very sensitive front paws are even more so underwater. It habitually urinates and defecates in the water as well, which may not auger well for other users.
It can be dangerous and injurious to human health to have raccoons around, especially where there is a swimming pool. There is a likelihood of zoonotic diseases being prevalent because of the raccoon’s propensity to deposit its body waste in the water.
Diseases transmitted by raccoons include roundworm infections, giardia, and leptospirosis. Roundworm and Giardia are intestinal parasites. Their symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea. Roundworm eggs get deposited in the water alongside the raccoon’s excretion. Leptospirosis is majorly transmitted via an infected raccoon’s urine and can last in an environment for a long time.
It is best to stay safe and remove raccoons from human habitations in order to avoid contracting any of these diseases, the worst of which is the potentially fatal rabies disease.
To learn more about Do Raccoons Swim visit the Raccoons in the Attic home page.