RACCOON
Their earliest ancestors originated in Europe about 25 mya [million-years ago] during late Oligocene time). Then about 6 mya, some of them migrated to the Americas via the Bering Land Bridge [see one of my earlier posts]. About 3 mya (Pliocene), they also migrated from North America to Central and South America via the Panama area [see another one of my earlier posts] referred to as the “Great American Biotic Interchange.” The true raccoon lineage (genus Procyon) appeared in North America later.
To sum up this somewhat confusing geologic history: raccoons are found today in North America, Central America, central Europe (e.g., Germany) and Japan)—with different species depending on the locale).
This blog post concerns the raccoon Procyon lotor and its presence in the United States. This species of raccoon, which has black fur around its eyes (i.e., a bandit’s mask), can swim and climb (including “walking” headfirst down a tree because these mammals can rotate their feet so that they are pointing backward). They have a very versatile diet (can eat invertebrates, vertebates, and plants), and can travel in small packs. They also have a certain level of problem-solving intelligence (i.e., a reasonable memory). Interestingly, they are color blind.
Figure 1. Image of an excellent, taxidermy example of a raccoon, displayed at the “Placerita Canyon Nature Center” just east of Santa Clarita, southern California.
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STRIPED SKUNK
These insectivores (plus they also eat some plants) occur across much of North America (including southern Canada, the USA, and northern Mexico).
Classification
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Mephitidae
Genus Mephitis
Type species M. mephitis
Geologic Range: Early Pleistocene (approximately 1.8 million years ago) (in Nebraska). By late Pleistocene, they were widespread, especially in the southern USA (Wikipedia, 2025).
They weight up to 12 pounds, and are up to 30 inches in length. Most are about the size of a cat. Their fur is black and white, and the soles of their feet are bare. They have long claws, which are used for digging.
When provoked, they arch their back, raises there tail, and stamps its feet, and shuffles backward: this is when you had better back off and give it some room. Otherwise, you will be wearing the smelly (acrid) fluid from its anal glands. This fluid can also be a blinding liquid. So be very careful and to not let it spray you in the face/eyes. Also, this animal is a major carrier of rabies! In summary, do not torment it. Just leave them alone!
It lives in forests and is known to browse around campgrounds . Do not leave your trash bags where skunks can reach them at night.
They are nocturnal omnivores and eat insects (especially grasshoppers, beetles), as well as small animals, reptiles, birds, and plants (North American Wildlife, 1982).
References
North American Wildlife. 1982. Reader’s Digest. Pleasantiville, New York. 615 pp.
Wikipedia, 2025.
Figure 2. Image of an excellent, taxidermy example of a raccoon, displayed at the “Placerita Canyon Nature Center” just east of Santa Clarita, southern California.
“POCKET GOPHER”
These burrowing rodents are endemic to North America and Central America. To date, there are 41 known species. They range in size from ½ to 2 pounds. They live mostly solitary lives in an extensive network of tunnels that they dig. These tunnels provide protection and places to store food. These animals are very shy and very hard to catch via traps. They seldom go above ground, and they if they to go elsewhere, they travel at night. They eat the roots of shrubs and roots (especially carrots and radishes). They can quickly devastate a garden! They are solitary animals except during breeding season. Left unchecked, they can easily overrun your garden or lawn. Most of what I have written here is based on personal experience. If you do nothing to stop their burrowing, your garden will suffer significantly!
Their fossil record is known for late Pliocene (about 5 million years ago = mya) to Recent time. They are questionably known in strata as old as the Eocene. Their closest relative is the “kangaroo rat.”
Classification
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Rodentia
Family Geomyidae
Genus Geomys
If you have the interest and monies available, I found two journal articles about the pocket gopher:
Martin, R.A. and 4 others. Five million years of pocket gopher history in the Meade Basin of southwestern Kansas and northern Oklahoma. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 31, no. 2011, issue 4. Only the abstract is free.
Jonathan, J. M. and two others. 2019. Locomotory adaptations in entoptychine gophers (Rodentia: Gomyidae) and the mosaic evolution of fossoriality. Journal of Morphology https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.2099. Only the abstract is free.
Figure 3. Image of an excellent, taxidermy example of a "pocket gopher" displayed at the “Placerita Canyon Nature Center” just east of Santa Clarita, southern California.
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