How smart is a Raccoon?
This is a Raccoon. It is a relatively small animal. But, the moment you throw some of your left-over food- fruits, vegetables, or meat- in your garbage bin, the raccoon will be the first one to finish it in a matter of few minutes! Now, obviously, you will ask: “How can an animal like this access the garbage bin or the contents in it?” Well, they overturn the bins, which leads to the opening of the garbage lid. And voila! Raccoons can treat themselves to all the food in there, just with a strong little push! All of this just goes on to say that Raccoons are way smarter than you think, pal!
Raccoons are found in large numbers in many parts of the US. They can open almost all kinds of doors. And leave a little gap between your door and your floor; these animals will manoeuvre through that as well! They can also break through the hardest materials out there- like cardboards. So, your barriers are practically useless against them.
It can be rightly said that a Raccoon is a pain in the neck for a lot of Americans. So much so, that they continuously have to keep evolving their garbage lids’ designs! These little monsters can successfully invade any house out there. And at their chosen time too! This is what Toronto Mayor Rob Ford had to say about Raccoons:
“Everyone I know has had to evict a Raccoon from their house.”
Imagine their plight!
But the real question here is: How are Raccoons so smart? The answer is: Because they are city Raccoons!
Yes. Not all Raccoons are smart, especially the rural ones. But, city Raccoons are living examples of Darwin’s theory of ‘Survival of the Fittest’. Urban environment- past paced, challenging, and competitive, has taken a toll on Raccoons as well. They are quicker to respond to stimuli. And they can easily open door knobs with their small paws, they are scared of no one (really), plus they don’t give up easily (humans, you’ve got some competition!).
Bold, curious learners- Raccoons are definitely evolving in a city space. They love a good challenge. That is precisely why getting a more advanced or complex latch for your door won’t work. They will work with those knobs as well, and once more, invade your sanctuary (without fear).
So, all you can do is wait for some ground-breaking invention in latch-making that Raccoons cannot figure out. Until then, these animals are your uninvited guests. And these gatecrashers, evolving intelligently at a greater pace than ever before, are much smarter than you think
