15 Animals Similar to Raccoons

Raccoons live throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia in forests and mountain ranges. Noted for their distinctive ringed tail and black facial mask, they are extremely intelligent creatures. Studies have shown they are adept problem solvers and remember the solutions for years.

They are a member of the suborder Caniformia, a group describing dog-like carnivores. With a weight range of 10 to 60 pounds, Raccoons are omnivorous. Their diet consists of insects, fish, small animals, and plants.

Raccoons use their front feet like hands and are able to manipulate small objects. It is common for them to wash their food before eating. The average lifespan in the wild is three years, although they can survive much longer in captivity.

Raccoons are not solitary. Males and females live together in sex-specific groups consisting of three or four individuals. Their primary defense against predators is to climb trees.

Table of Contents

• Skunks
• Sun Bears
• Coatis
• Red Pandas
• Cacomistles
• Badgers
• Anteaters
• Olingos
• Sloth Bear
• Ring Tailed Cat
• River Otters
• Olinguitos
• Weasel
• Kinkajous
• Raccoon Dog

Skunks

Skunks are best known for their ability to ward off threats by releasing a foul-smelling fluid from their anal glands. Their closest relative is the Stink Badger. There are 11 different species of skunk, most of which are found in North and South America.

Full-grown, they are about the size of a small dog. Skunks have very poor eyesight, instead of relying on their sense of smell and hearing to forage and detect predators.

Like the Raccoon, skunks are nocturnal and omnivorous. They eat a variety of small mammals, reptiles, fish, bird eggs, and some types of plants.

Skunks differ from raccoons in that they are more solitary. Socialization only occurs during mating. They also live longer in the wild, with the average lifespan being ten years.

Sun Bears

Sun Bears live in Asia among the tropical rainforests and mangroves. It is the smallest bear in the family Ursidae. The trend towards solitary living but is sometimes seen in pairs.

Their coloration is mostly dark except for a patch of cream-colored fur on their chest. Although … Read the rest of the story.