The Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo , commonly referred to as the NEW Zoo is a zoo located Suamico , Wisconsin , in the United States . The 43-acre (17 ha) is situated northwest of the Brown County Reforestation Camp , 11 miles (18 km), which together cover 1,560 acres (6.3 km) and have over a half million visitors each year.
115-411: The NEW Zoo does not receive local or regional tax support for its annual operating budget. The area where the zoo is located was covered with pine and oak forests when European settlers began arriving in the 1800s. Intensive lumbering soon cleared most of the land and residents began planting crops. Once the forests were gone, there were no leaves or logs left to decompose and replenish the sandy soil and
230-415: A gestation period of about 65 days, two to five young known as "kits" are born in spring. The kits are subsequently raised by their mother until dispersal in late fall. Although captive raccoons have been known to live over 20 years, their life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years. In many areas, hunting and vehicular injury are the two most common causes of death. Names for the species include
345-476: A "three-class society". Samuel I. Zeveloff, professor of zoology at Weber State University and author of the book Raccoons: A Natural History , is more cautious in his interpretation and concludes at least the females are solitary most of the time and, according to Erik K. Fritzell's study in North Dakota in 1978, males in areas with low population densities are solitary as well. The shape and size of
460-401: A climbing tower. The park was built to appear minimally invasive and naturally appealing. For example, the historic fire tower, built in 1955, is now the starting point for the dual "racing" zip lines. Many types of native plants and animals can be found at the zoo, which features more than 92 exhibits with more than 215 animals from around the world. Located near the main entrance of the zoo,
575-501: A few decades before the 20th century. Since the 1950s, raccoons have expanded their range from Vancouver Island —formerly the northernmost limit of their range—far into the northern portions of the four south-central Canadian provinces. New habitats which have recently been occupied by raccoons (aside from urban areas) include mountain ranges, such as the Western Rocky Mountains , prairies and coastal marshes . After
690-540: A few from other parts of the world. Australian species include the kookaburra , cockatoo , emu , dusky lorikeet , and rainbow lorikeet . Other species include the blue duiker and snow leopard . In this section of the zoo are the African lions , the wattled crane , the African pied crow , and the reticulated giraffe . The albino alligator , most commonly found in the Southern United States ,
805-583: A few from surrounding areas of the country, including the North American otter , the wild turkey , the American black bear , the red fox , the red wolf , the cougar , the helmeted guineafowl , the ruffed grouse , the chukar partridge , the ring-necked pheasant , the bobcat , the Canada lynx , the white-tailed deer , the American badger , the raccoon , and the porcupine . Although not native to
920-511: A figure comparable to those of urban habitats in North America. Home range sizes of urban raccoons are only 3 to 40 hectares (7.5 to 100 acres) for females and 8 to 80 hectares (20 to 200 acres) for males. In small towns and suburbs, many raccoons sleep in a nearby forest after foraging in the settlement area. Fruit and insects in gardens and leftovers in municipal waste are easily available food sources. Furthermore,
1035-407: A following inflammation of the brain ( encephalitis ), causing the animal to display rabies-like symptoms. In Germany, the first eight cases of distemper were reported in 2007. Some of the most important bacterial diseases which affect raccoons are leptospirosis , listeriosis , tetanus , and tularemia . Although internal parasites weaken their immune systems , well-fed individuals can carry
1150-462: A full-time carnivore , but the molars are not as wide as those of a herbivore . The penis bone of males is about 10 cm (3.9 in) long and strongly bent at the front end, and its shape can be used to distinguish juvenile males from mature males. Seven of the thirteen identified vocal calls are used in communication between the mother and her kits, one of these being the birdlike twittering of newborns. The most important sense for
1265-406: A high mortality rate, due, for example, to hunting or severe winters. While male yearlings usually reach their sexual maturity only after the main mating season, female yearlings can compensate for high mortality rates and may be responsible for about 50% of all young born in a year. Males have no part in raising young. The kits (also called "cubs") are blind and deaf at birth, but their mask
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#17327932952281380-646: A large number of additional sleeping areas exist in these areas, such as hollows in old garden trees, cottages, garages, abandoned houses, and attics. The percentage of urban raccoons sleeping in abandoned or occupied houses varies from 15% in Washington, DC (1991) to 43% in Kassel (2003). Raccoons can carry rabies , a lethal disease caused by the neurotropic rabies virus carried in the saliva and transmitted by bites. Its spread began in Florida and Georgia in
1495-588: A period triggered by increasing daylight between late January and mid-March. However, there are large regional differences which are not completely explicable by solar conditions. For example, while raccoons in southern states typically mate later than average, the mating season in Manitoba also peaks later than usual in March and extends until June. During the mating season, males restlessly roam their home ranges in search of females in an attempt to court them during
1610-407: A population explosion starting in the 1940s, the estimated number of raccoons in North America in the late 1980s was 15 to 20 times higher than in the 1930s, when raccoons were comparatively rare. Urbanization , the expansion of agriculture , deliberate introductions, and the extermination of natural predators of the raccoon have probably caused this increase in abundance and distribution. As
1725-856: A population previously established in Transcaucasia . The range of Soviet raccoons was never single or continuous, as they were often introduced to different locations far from each other. All introductions into the Russian Far East failed; melanistic raccoons were released on Petrov Island near Vladivostok and some areas of southern Primorsky Krai , but died. In Central Asia , raccoons were released in Kyrgyzstan 's Jalal-Abad Province , though they were later recorded as "practically absent" there in January ;1963. A large and stable raccoon population (yielding 1,000~1,500 catches
1840-642: A population to be hunted for their fur. Two of these introductions were successful – one in the south of Belarus between 1954 and 1958, and another in Azerbaijan between 1941 and 1957. With a seasonal harvest of between 1,000~1,500 animals, in 1974 the estimated size of the population distributed in the Caucasus region was around 20,000 animals and the density was four animals per square kilometer (10 animals per square mile). In Japan, up to 1,500 raccoons were imported as pets each year after
1955-455: A raccoon's home range varies depending on age, sex, and habitat, with adults claiming areas more than twice as large as juveniles. While the size of home ranges in the habitat of North Dakota's prairies lie between 7 and 50 km (3 and 20 sq mi) for males and between 2 and 16 km (1 and 6 sq mi) for females, the average size in a marsh at Lake Erie was 0.5 km (0.19 sq mi). Irrespective of whether
2070-542: A reflex of a Proto-Algonquian root * ahrah-koon-em , meaning '[the] one who rubs, scrubs and scratches with its hands'. The word is sometimes spelled as racoon . In Spanish , the raccoon is called mapache , derived from the Nahuatl mapachtli of the Aztecs , meaning '[the] one who takes everything in its hands'. Its Latin name, procyon lotor , literally means 'before-dog washer'. The genus Procyon
2185-410: A result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century, raccoons are now also distributed across central Europe , the Caucasus , and Japan . In Europe, the raccoon has been included on the list of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern since 2016. This implies that this species cannot be imported, bred, transported, commercialized, or intentionally released into the environment in
2300-407: A result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century, the raccoon is now distributed in several European and Asian countries. Sightings have occurred in all the countries bordering Germany, which hosts the largest population outside of North America. Another stable population exists in northern France, where several pet raccoons were released by members of the U.S. Air Force near
2415-433: A short and wide facial region and a voluminous braincase . The facial length of the skull is less than the cranial , and their nasal bones are short and quite broad. The auditory bullae are inflated in form, and the sagittal crest is weakly developed. The dentition —40 teeth with the dental formula : 3.1.4.2 3.1.4.2 —is adapted to their omnivorous diet: the carnassials are not as sharp and pointed as those of
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#17327932952282530-434: A threat on occasion in other areas. Where still present, gray wolves may still occasionally take raccoons as a supplemental prey item. Also in the southeast, they are among the favored prey for adult American alligators . On occasion, both bald and golden eagles will prey on raccoons. In the tropics, raccoons are known to fall prey to smaller eagles such as ornate hawk-eagles and black hawk-eagles , although it
2645-694: A very dark coat are more common in the German population because individuals with such coloring were among those initially released to the wild. The dense underfur , which accounts for almost 90% of the coat, insulates against cold weather and is composed of 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 in) long hairs. The raccoon, whose method of locomotion is usually considered to be plantigrade , can stand on its hind legs to examine objects with its front paws. As raccoons have short legs compared to their compact torso, they are usually not able either to run quickly or jump great distances. Their top speed over short distances
2760-451: A watering hole with a layout similar to a stream is not farther away than 3 m (10 ft). The widely accepted theory is that dousing in captive raccoons is a fixed action pattern from the dabbling behavior performed when foraging at shores for aquatic foods. This is supported by the observation that aquatic foods are doused more frequently. Cleaning dirty food does not seem to be a reason for "washing". Raccoons usually mate in
2875-749: A year) was established in Azerbaijan after an introduction to the area in 1937. Raccoons apparently survived an introduction near Terek , along the Sulak River into the Dagestani lowlands. Attempts to settle raccoons on the Kuban River 's left tributary and Kabardino-Balkaria were unsuccessful. A successful acclimatization occurred in Belarus , where three introductions (consisting of 52, 37, and 38 individuals in 1954 and 1958) took place. By January 1963, 700 individuals were recorded in
2990-476: Is 16 to 24 km/h (9.9 to 14.9 mph). Raccoons can swim with an average speed of about 5 km/h (3.1 mph) and can stay in the water for several hours. For climbing down a tree headfirst—an unusual ability for a mammal of its size—a raccoon rotates its hind feet so they are pointing backwards. Raccoons have a dual cooling system to regulate their temperature ; that is, they are able to both sweat and pant for heat dissipation. Raccoon skulls have
3105-522: Is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin . As of the 2020 census , the population was 268,740, making it the fourth-most populous county in Wisconsin. The county seat is Green Bay . Brown County is part of the Green Bay, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area . Brown County is one of Wisconsin's two original counties, along with Crawford County . It originally spanned the entire eastern half of
3220-551: Is already visible against their light fur. The birth weight of the roughly 10 cm (4 in)-long kits is between 60 and 75 g (2.1 and 2.6 oz). Their ear canals open after around 18 to 23 days, a few days before their eyes open for the first time. Once the kits weigh about 1 kg (2 lb), they begin to explore outside the den, consuming solid food for the first time after six to nine weeks. After this point, their mother suckles them with decreasing frequency; they are usually weaned by 16 weeks. In
3335-702: Is also housed in the Africa section. The children's petting zoo, located on the south side of the zoo, has domestic goats , sheep , red corn snakes , African leopard tortoises , llamas , alpacas , domestic chickens , koi fish , and fallow deer . In 2014, the NEW Zoo opened the Adventure Park to the public. Located adjacent to the zoo, the park consists of a zip line , rock climbing wall , and ropes course . Each course give participants to choose their own challenge based on their physical strength. The park
3450-431: Is easier to catch, specifically crayfish , insects , fish , amphibians and bird eggs. Raccoons are virulent predators of eggs and hatchlings in both birds and reptile nests, to such a degree that, for threatened prey species, raccoons may need to be removed from the area or nests may need to be relocated to mitigate the effect of their predations (i.e. in the case of some globally threatened turtles ). When food
3565-485: Is home to a troop of Japanese macaques . Since these animals are a part of the Species Survival Plan , infant macaques can be seen almost every year. The education building houses reptiles, arachnids, amphibians, and one emperor scorpion . Species of reptiles include bearded dragon , red-tailed boa , ball python , blue-tongued skink , and European glass lizard . Two amphibian species are on display,
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3680-508: Is inconvenient, raccoons use burrows dug by other mammals, dense undergrowth or tree crotches. In a study in the Solling range of hills in Germany, more than 60% of all sleeping places were used only once, but those used at least ten times accounted for about 70% of all uses. Since amphibians, crustaceans , and other animals around the shore of lakes and rivers are an important part of
3795-588: Is not a significant cause of death, especially because larger predators have been exterminated in many areas inhabited by raccoons. Although they have thrived in sparsely wooded areas in the last decades, raccoons depend on vertical structures to climb when they feel threatened. Therefore, they avoid open terrain and areas with high concentrations of beech trees, as beech bark is too smooth to climb. Tree hollows in old oaks or other trees and rock crevices are preferred by raccoons as sleeping, winter and litter dens. If such dens are unavailable or accessing them
3910-471: Is not clear whether adults or merely juvenile raccoons are taken by these. In rare cases of overlap, they may fall victim from carnivores ranging from species averaging smaller than themselves such as fishers to those as large and formidable as jaguars in Mexico . In their introduced range in the former Soviet Union, their main predators are wolves , lynxes and Eurasian eagle-owls . However, predation
4025-422: Is plentiful, raccoons can develop strong individual preferences for specific foods. In the northern parts of their range, raccoons go into a winter rest , reducing their activity drastically as long as a permanent snow cover makes searching for food difficult. One aspect of raccoon behavior is so well known that it gives the animal part of its scientific name, Procyon lotor ; lotor is Latin for 'washer'. In
4140-535: Is still regarded as a separate species. The four smallest raccoon subspecies, with a typical weight of 1.8 to 2.7 kg (4.0 to 6.0 lb), live along the southern coast of Florida and on the adjacent islands; an example is the Ten Thousand Islands raccoon ( Procyon lotor marinus ). Most of the other 15 subspecies differ only slightly from each other in coat color, size and other physical characteristics. The two most widespread subspecies are
4255-554: Is the seat of Brown County. The city of Oconto (half cut off at the bottom right) is the county seat of Oconto County. Slightly above and much further right of Oconto is Oconto Falls , also in Oconto County. The somewhat larger city above Oconto Falls is Pulaski , which is in Brown County at the very border with Shawano County. Shawano County extends between Pulaski and past the edge of the photograph. The large city in
4370-502: Is usually between 5 and 12 kg (11 and 26 lb). The smallest specimens live in southern Florida, while those near the northern limits of the raccoon's range tend to be the largest (see Bergmann's rule ) . Males are usually 15 to 20% heavier than females. At the beginning of winter, a raccoon can weigh twice as much as in spring because of fat storage. The largest recorded wild raccoon weighed 28.4 kg (63 lb) and measured 140 cm (55 in) in total length, by far
4485-406: Is water. In 2017, there were 3,324 births, giving a general fertility rate of 65.6 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, which is above the Wisconsin average of 60.1. Additionally, there were 168 reported induced abortions performed on women of Brown County residence, with a rate of 3.3 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44, which is below the Wisconsin average rate of 5.2. As of the census of 2020 ,
4600-627: The Amazon milky tree frog and the African bullfrog . There are two species of arachnids, the Chilean rose hair tarantula and the orange baboon tarantula . The tortoise den is home to a male and a female Aldabra tortoise , which are native exclusively to the Aldabra Atoll . The den has an outdoor enclosure and a tortoise shell-shaped den. The Wisconsin Trail is home to many native species and
4715-604: The Laon-Couvron Air Base in 1966. Furthermore, raccoons have been known to be in the area around Madrid since the early 1970s. In 2013, the city authorized "the capture and death of any specimen". It is also present in Italy , with one self-sustaining population in Lombardy . About 1,240 animals were released in nine regions of the former Soviet Union between 1936 and 1958 for the purpose of establishing
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4830-592: The Rexroad Formation characterized by its narrow back teeth and large lower jaw. As of 2005, Mammal Species of the World recognizes 22 subspecies of raccoons. Four of these subspecies living only on small Central American and Caribbean islands were often regarded as distinct species after their discovery. These are the Bahamian raccoon and Guadeloupe raccoon , which are very similar to each other;
4945-642: The Tres Marias raccoon , which is larger than average and has an angular skull; and the extinct Barbados raccoon . Studies of their morphological and genetic traits in 1999, 2003 and 2005 led all these island raccoons to be listed as subspecies of the common raccoon in Mammal Species of the World's third edition. A fifth island raccoon population, the Cozumel raccoon , which weighs only 3 to 4 kg (6.6 to 8.8 lb) and has notably small teeth,
5060-409: The abstract principles of the locking mechanisms and their learning speed was equivalent to that of rhesus macaques . Studies in 1963, 1973, 1975 and 1992 concentrated on raccoon memory showed that they can remember the solutions to tasks for at least three years. In a study by B. Pohl in 1992, raccoons were able to instantly differentiate between identical and different symbols three years after
5175-482: The biodiversity of an area. Hohmann holds that extensive hunting cannot be justified by the absence of natural predators, because predation is not a significant cause of death in the North American raccoon population. The raccoon is extensively hunted in Germany as it is seen as an invasive species and pest . In the 1990s, only about 400 raccoons were hunted yearly. This increased dramatically over
5290-533: The common raccoon or northern raccoon to distinguish it from the other species, is a mammal native to North America . It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of 40 to 70 cm (16 to 28 in), and a body weight of 5 to 26 kg (11 to 57 lb). Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur , which insulates it against cold weather. The animal's most distinctive features include its extremely dexterous front paws , its facial mask, and its ringed tail, which are common themes in
5405-590: The common raccoon , North American raccoon , and northern raccoon . In various North American native languages, the reference to the animal's manual dexterity, or use of its hands is the source for the names. The word raccoon was adopted into English from the native Powhatan term meaning 'animal that scratches with its hands', as used in the Colony of Virginia . It was recorded on John Smith 's list of Powhatan words as aroughcun , and on that of William Strachey as arathkone . It has also been identified as
5520-529: The crab-eating raccoon ( Procyon cancrivorus ), the ancestors of the common raccoon left tropical and subtropical areas and migrated farther north about 2.5 million years ago, in a migration that has been confirmed by the discovery of fossils in the Great Plains dating back to the middle of the Pliocene . Its most recent ancestor was likely Procyon rexroadensis , a large Blancan raccoon from
5635-471: The fauna ". Several prior attempts to introduce raccoons in Germany had been unsuccessful. A second population was established in eastern Germany in 1945 when 25 raccoons escaped from a fur farm at Wolfshagen (today district of Altlandsberg ), east of Berlin, after an air strike. The two populations are parasitologically distinguishable: 70% of the raccoons of the Hessian population are infected with
5750-420: The mating season —or against other potential invaders. Such a group does not usually consist of more than four individuals. Since some males show aggressive behavior towards unrelated kits, mothers will isolate themselves from other raccoons until their kits are big enough to defend themselves. With respect to these three different modes of life prevalent among raccoons, Hohmann called their social structure
5865-706: The mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas surrounding the species. The raccoon is noted for its intelligence , and studies show that it is able to remember the solution to tasks for at least three years. It is usually nocturnal and omnivorous , eating about 40% invertebrates , 33% plants , and 27% vertebrates . The original habitats of the raccoon are deciduous and mixed forests , but due to their adaptability, they have extended their range to mountainous areas, coastal marshes , and urban areas , where some homeowners consider them to be pests . As
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#17327932952285980-545: The pronghorn antelope , and the elk ; the other contains black-tailed prairie dogs . The plains exhibit's pond has trumpeter swans . The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Committee have collaborated with NEW Zoo since 1994 to take in the young trumpeter swans that are born at the zoo and release them into the wild after two years. The Australia exhibit contains animals native to Australia , as well as
6095-476: The roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis , but none of the Brandenburgian population is known to have the parasite. In the Hessian region, there were an estimated 285 raccoons in 1956, which increased to over 20,000 in 1970; in 2008 there were between 200,000 and 400,000 raccoons in the whole of Germany. By 2012 it was estimated that Germany now had more than a million raccoons. The raccoon
6210-672: The tapetum lucidum behind the retina , visual perception is of subordinate importance to raccoons because of their poor long-distance vision. In addition to being useful for orientation in the dark, their sense of smell is important for intraspecific communication. Glandular secretions (usually from their anal glands ), urine and feces are used for marking. With their broad auditory range , they can perceive tones up to 50–85 kHz as well as quiet noises, like those produced by earthworms underground. Zoologist Clinton Hart Merriam described raccoons as "clever beasts", and that "in certain directions their cunning surpasses that of
6325-466: The 1950s and was facilitated by the introduction of infected individuals to Virginia and North Dakota in the late 1970s. Of the 6,940 documented rabies cases reported in the United States in 2006, 2,615 (37.7%) were in raccoons. The U.S. Department of Agriculture , as well as local authorities in several U.S. states and Canadian provinces, has developed oral vaccination programs to fight
6440-455: The 1990s by the ethologists Stanley D. Gehrt and Ulf Hohmann suggest that raccoons engage in sex-specific social behaviors and are not typically solitary, as was previously thought. Related females often live in a so-called " fission-fusion society "; that is, they share a common area and occasionally meet at feeding or resting grounds. Unrelated males often form loose male social groups to maintain their position against foreign males during
6555-405: The 87,295 households 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.20% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 26.50% of households were one person and 8.40% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.08. The age distribution was 26.10% under
6670-636: The Bahamas raccoon, Guadeloupe raccoon and Tres Marias raccoon were classified as endangered by the IUCN in 1996. There is archeological evidence that in pre-Columbian times raccoons were numerous only along rivers and in the woodlands of the Southeastern United States . As raccoons were not mentioned in earlier reports of pioneers exploring the central and north-central parts of the United States, their initial spread may have begun
6785-618: The North American raccoon population is distemper , which can reach epidemic proportions and kill most of a local raccoon population. In areas with heavy vehicular traffic and extensive hunting, these factors can account for up to 90% of all deaths of adult raccoons. The most important natural predators of the raccoon are bobcats , coyotes , and great horned owls , the latter mainly preying on young raccoons but capable of killing adults in some cases. In Florida , they have been reported to fall victim to larger carnivores like American black bear and cougars and these species may also be
6900-548: The Northern trail contain northern pike , largemouth bass , and yellow perch . The Riley Building also houses two species of frogs, the green frog and the American bullfrog . The North American Aviary houses birds that are found locally or in other areas of the United States . Three of the largest birds in the aviary are the American white pelican , bald eagle , and the turkey vulture . Ten species of duck live in
7015-571: The Republican presidential candidate in all but two elections, 1996 and 2008. Democratic strength is concentrated in the city of Green Bay, while the suburban and rural areas typically vote Republican. School districts include: 44°29′N 87°59′W / 44.48°N 87.99°W / 44.48; -87.99 Raccoon The raccoon ( / r ə ˈ k uː n / or US : / r æ ˈ k uː n / , Procyon lotor ), also spelled racoon and sometimes called
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#17327932952287130-662: The Western Hemisphere, the red panda is also found on the Wisconsin Trail. Located in the northeastern corner of the zoo, visitors can travel up to the Riley Building to view animals on the Northern Trail, including mammals such as the black-footed ferret , the cotton-top tamarin , and the moose , as well as birds such as the burrowing owl and the black-necked stilt . Two large tanks on
7245-631: The Wisconsin State constitution and are referred to as the "constitutional officers". Constitutional officers are the only partisan elected officials within Brown County government, as the Executive and County Board are non-partisan positions. The current constitutional officers are: In July 2002, the county declared English its official language, voting 17–8 to do so and to increase spending to promote fluency in English . Green Bay, center,
7360-415: The age of 18, 10.50% from 18 to 24, 31.90% from 25 to 44, 20.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.70% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males. The legislative branch of Brown County is the 26-member Board of Supervisors. Each member represents a single district and serves a two-year term, with elections held in
7475-427: The aggressive behavior seen in infected canids; rabid raccoons will often retire to their dens instead. Organizations like the U.S. Forest Service encourage people to stay away from animals with unusual behavior or appearance, and to notify the proper authorities, such as an animal control officer from the local health department . Since healthy animals, especially nursing mothers, will occasionally forage during
7590-445: The agility of the hands of primates . There is no observed negative effect on tactile perception when a raccoon stands in water below 10 °C (50 °F) for hours. Raccoons are thought to be color blind or at least poorly able to distinguish color, though their eyes are well-adapted for sensing green light. Although their accommodation of 11 dioptre is comparable to that of humans and they see well in twilight because of
7705-467: The aviary, including the pintail , the common shoveler , the green-winged teal , the English call duck , the ring-necked duck , the canvasback , the redhead , Barrow's goldeneye , the hooded merganser , and the wood duck . On the eastern side of the zoo animals typically found in the Great Plains of the United States are contained in two enclosures. One enclosure contains the American bison ,
7820-413: The bushy tail which can measure between 20 and 40 cm (7.9 and 15.7 in), but is usually not much longer than 25 cm (9.8 in). The shoulder height is between 23 and 30 cm (9.1 and 11.8 in). The body weight of an adult raccoon varies considerably with habitat , making the raccoon one of the most variably sized mammals. It can range from 2 to 26 kg (4.4 to 57.3 lb), but
7935-529: The center of its distribution was probably in Central America. Coatis ( Nasua and Nasuella ) and raccoons ( Procyon ) have been considered to share common descent from a species in the genus Paranasua present between 5.2 and 6.0 million years ago. This assumption, based on morphological comparisons of fossils, conflicts with a 2006 genetic analysis which indicates raccoons are more closely related to ringtails . Unlike other procyonids, such as
8050-511: The country. Due to its adaptability, the raccoon has been able to use urban areas as a habitat. The first sightings were recorded in a suburb of Cincinnati in the 1920s. Since the 1950s, raccoons have been present in metropolitan areas like Washington, DC , Chicago , Toronto , and New York City. Since the 1960s, Kassel has hosted Europe's first and densest population in a large urban area, with about 50 to 150 animals per square kilometer (130 to 390 animals per square mile),
8165-840: The course based on their experience. The 40-foot rock wall consists of three different sides. Two of the sides are rock walls with different structures to challenge the participants and a cargo net can be found on the third side. The NEW Zoo employs green practices to help reduce its environmental footprint. The goals of using sustainable practices are to significantly reduce the zoo's negative environmental impact, improve its ecological footprint, and become an environmentally sustainable zoo and green leader. The NEW Zoo's sustainability improvement plan addresses water usage, storm water runoff, energy usage, gaseous discharges, transportation, materials used, waste and waste disposal, and environmental education. Brown County, Wisconsin Brown County
8280-523: The day, daylight activity is not a reliable indicator of illness in raccoons. Unlike rabies and at least a dozen other pathogens carried by raccoons, distemper , an epizootic virus, does not affect humans. This disease is the most frequent natural cause of death in the North American raccoon population and affects individuals of all age groups. For example, 94 of 145 raccoons died during an outbreak in Clifton, Ohio , in 1968. It may occur along with
8395-545: The eastern raccoon ( Procyon lotor lotor ) and the Upper Mississippi Valley raccoon ( Procyon lotor hirtus ). Both share a comparatively dark coat with long hairs, but the Upper Mississippi Valley raccoon is larger than the eastern raccoon. The eastern raccoon occurs in all U.S. states and Canadian provinces to the north of South Carolina and Tennessee . The adjacent range of the Upper Mississippi Valley raccoon covers all U.S. states and Canadian provinces to
8510-423: The facial expression and posture of other members of their species more quickly because of the conspicuous facial coloration and the alternating light and dark rings on the tail. The dark mask may also reduce glare and thus enhance night vision . On other parts of the body, the long and stiff guard hairs , which shed moisture, are usually colored in shades of gray and, to a lesser extent, brown. Raccoons with
8625-480: The fall, after their mother has shown them dens and feeding grounds, the juvenile group splits up. While many females will stay close to the home range of their mother, males can sometimes move more than 20 km (12 mi) away. This is considered an instinctive behavior, preventing inbreeding . However, mother and offspring may share a den during the first winter in cold areas. Captive raccoons have been known to live for more than 20 years. However,
8740-485: The first camp superintendent, and his wife directed inmates in planting 250,000 white pine, Norway pine, Jack pine, cedar, and spruce seedlings. This continued for several years until the sandy wasteland was once again green forest. During the 1950s, the reforestation camp became part of the county park system. Ponds were dug for fire protection and recreation and fish were stocked. Hiking and ski trails were established. By 1952, bear, deer, and timber-wolves were exhibited at
8855-534: The first known members of the family Procyonidae lived in Europe in the late Oligocene about 25 million years ago. Similar tooth and skull structures suggest procyonids and weasels share a common ancestor, but molecular analysis indicates a closer relationship between raccoons and bears. After the then-existing species crossed the Bering Strait at least six million years later in the early Miocene ,
8970-468: The fox". The animal's intelligence gave rise to the epithet "sly coon". Only a few studies have been undertaken to determine the mental abilities of raccoons, most of them based on the animal's sense of touch. In a study by the ethologist H. B. Davis in 1908, raccoons were able to open 11 of 13 complex locks in fewer than 10 tries and had no problems repeating the action when the locks were rearranged or turned upside down. Davis concluded that they understood
9085-443: The general behavior patterns of raccoons, Gehrt points out that "typically you'll find 10 to 15 percent that will do the opposite" of what is expected. Though usually nocturnal, the raccoon is sometimes active in daylight to take advantage of available food sources. Its diet consists of about 40% invertebrates , 33% plant material and 27% vertebrates . Since its diet consists of such a variety of different foods, Zeveloff argues
9200-456: The home ranges of adjacent groups overlap, they are most likely not actively defended outside the mating season if food supplies are sufficient. Odor marks on prominent spots are assumed to establish home ranges and identify individuals. Urine and feces left at shared raccoon latrines may provide additional information about feeding grounds, since raccoons were observed to meet there later for collective eating, sleeping and playing. Concerning
9315-409: The largest size recorded for a procyonid. The most characteristic physical feature of the raccoon is the area of black fur around the eyes, which contrasts sharply with the surrounding white face coloring. This is reminiscent of a " bandit's mask " and has thus enhanced the animal's reputation for mischief. The slightly rounded ears are also bordered by white fur. Raccoons are assumed to recognize
9430-610: The mating seasons from 1990 to 1992, about one third of all females mated with more than one male. If a female does not become pregnant or if she loses her kits early, she will sometimes become fertile again 80 to 140 days later. After usually 63 to 65 days of gestation (although anywhere from 54 to 70 days is possible), a litter of typically two to five young is born. The average litter size varies widely with habitat, ranging from 2.5 in Alabama to 4.8 in North Dakota . Larger litters are more common in areas with
9545-413: The members of the expedition of Christopher Columbus , who were the first Europeans to leave a written record about the species, taxonomists thought the raccoon was related to many different species, including dogs , cats , badgers and particularly bears . Carl Linnaeus , the father of modern taxonomy, placed the raccoon in the genus Ursus , first as Ursus cauda elongata ('long-tailed bear') in
9660-512: The next quarter-century: during the 2015–2016 hunting season, 128,100 raccoons were hunted, 60 percent of them in the state of Hesse . Experiments in acclimatising raccoons into the Soviet Union began in 1936, and were repeated a further 25 times until 1962. Overall, 1,222 individuals were released, 64 of which came from zoos and fur farms (38 of them having been imports from western Europe). The remainder originated from
9775-769: The north of Louisiana , Texas , and New Mexico . The taxonomic identity of feral raccoons inhabiting Central Europe, Causasia and Japan is unknown, as the founding populations consisted of uncategorized specimens from zoos and fur farms. brachyurus (Wiegmann, 1837) fusca (Burmeister, 1850) gularis (C. E. H. Smith, 1848) melanus (J. E. Gray, 1864) obscurus (Wiegmann, 1837) rufescens (de Beaux, 1910) vulgaris (Tiedemann, 1808) dickeyi (Nelson and Goldman, 1931) mexicana (Baird, 1858) shufeldti (Nelson and Goldman, 1931) minor (Miller, 1911) varius (Nelson and Goldman, 1930) P. l. minor Head to hindquarters, raccoons measure between 40 and 70 cm (16 and 28 in), not including
9890-506: The park and the zoo was established. In 1985, the county board decided to cease providing funds for capital improvements at the zoo. Since then, all new animal exhibits and major improvements have been financed by the NEW Zoological Society, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, and by private donations. The most recent addition to the zoo, the Adventure Park, includes dual "racing" zip lines, an aerial adventure course, and
10005-455: The paws. However, the behavior observed in captive raccoons in which they carry their food to water to "wash" or douse it before eating has not been observed in the wild. Naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon , believed that raccoons do not have adequate saliva production to moisten food thereby necessitating dousing, but this hypothesis is now considered to be incorrect. Captive raccoons douse their food more frequently when
10120-485: The penguin exhibit is home to both the African penguin and the South African shelduck . In the spring of 2013, the Species Survival Plan allowed two of the zoo's penguins to breed and visitors could view the baby penguin later that fall. The exhibit has two observing areas, one of which is a bridge overlooking the entire enclosure, and the other allows visitors to watch the penguins swim underwater. This exhibit
10235-414: The population was 268,740. The population density was 507.0 people per square mile (195.8 people/km ). There were 112,908 housing units at an average density of 213.0 units per square mile (82.2 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 79.2% White , 3.2% Asian , 3.1% Black or African American , 2.8% Native American , 4.4% from other races , and 7.2% from two or more races. Ethnically,
10350-559: The population was 9.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race. At the 2010 census there were 248,007 people, 98,383 households, and 63,721 families living in the county. The population density was 403 people per square mile (156 people/km ). There were 104,371 housing units at an average density of 170 units per square mile (66 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 86.5% White, 2.2% Black or African American, 2.7% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.0004% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. 7.3% of
10465-406: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 98,383 households 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 27.7% of households were one person and 8.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size
10580-515: The raccoon "may well be one of the world's most omnivorous animals". While its diet in spring and early summer consists mostly of insects, worms, and other animals already available early in the year, it prefers fruits and nuts, such as acorns and walnuts , which emerge in late summer and autumn, and represent a rich calorie source for building up fat needed for winter. Contrary to popular belief, raccoons only occasionally eat active or large prey, such as birds and mammals . They prefer prey that
10695-428: The raccoon as an emblem, causing them to be pejoratively known as "coons" by their political opponents, who saw them as too sympathetic to African-Americans. Soon after that the term became an ethnic slur , especially in use between 1880 and 1920 (see coon song ), and the term is still considered offensive. Dogs bred to hunt raccoons are called coonhound and coon dog . In the first decades after its discovery by
10810-650: The raccoon is called the Waschbär (literally, 'wash-bear' or 'washing bear') due to its habit of "dousing" food in water – two pairs of pet raccoons were released into the German countryside at the Edersee reservoir in the north of Hesse in April ;1934 by a forester upon request of their owner, a poultry farmer. He released them two weeks before receiving permission from the Prussian hunting office to "enrich
10925-635: The raccoon is its sense of touch . The "hyper sensitive" front paws are protected by a thin horny layer that becomes pliable when wet. The five digits of the paws have no webbing between them, which is unusual for a carnivoran . Almost two-thirds of the area responsible for sensory perception in the raccoon's cerebral cortex is specialized for the interpretation of tactile impulses, more than in any other studied animal. They are able to identify objects before touching them with vibrissae located above their sharp, nonretractable claws . The raccoon's paws lack an opposable thumb ; thus, it does not have
11040-572: The raccoon's diet, lowland deciduous or mixed forests abundant with water and marshes sustain the highest population densities. While population densities range from 0.5 to 3.2 animals per square kilometer (1.3 to 8.3 animals per square mile) in prairies and do not usually exceed 6 animals per square kilometer (15.5 animals per square mile) in upland hardwood forests, more than 20 raccoons per square kilometer (51.8 animals per square mile) can live in lowland forests and marshes. Raccoons are common throughout North America from Canada to Panama , where
11155-468: The second edition of his Systema Naturae (1740), then as Ursus Lotor ('washer bear') in the tenth edition (1758–59) . In 1780, Gottlieb Conrad Christian Storr placed the raccoon in its own genus Procyon , which can be translated as either 'before the dog' or 'doglike'. It is also possible that Storr had its nocturnal lifestyle in mind and chose the star Procyon as eponym for the species. Based on fossil evidence from Russia and Bulgaria,
11270-458: The short initial learning phase. Stanislas Dehaene reports in his book The Number Sense that raccoons can distinguish boxes containing two or four grapes from those containing three. In research by Suzana Herculano-Houzel and other neuroscientists , raccoons have been found to be comparable to primates in density of neurons in the cerebral cortex , which they have proposed to be a neuroanatomical indicator of intelligence. Studies in
11385-578: The soil was no longer able to produce crops. In the late 1800s, Brown County acquired the 1,600-acre (6.5 km) area that makes up the Reforestation Camp. In 1948, sparks from a passing train set fire to 80 acres (32 ha) of county land and destroyed what was left of the forest. This prompted the County Board to build an open prison camp and plant trees, hence the name Brown County Reforestation Camp. Beginning in 1950, Harry Barth,
11500-480: The species' life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years, depending on the local conditions such as traffic volume, hunting, and weather severity. It is not unusual for only half of the young born in one year to survive a full year. After this point, the annual mortality rate drops to between 10% and 30%. Young raccoons are vulnerable to losing their mother and to starvation, particularly in long and cold winters. The most frequent natural cause of death in
11615-407: The spread of the disease in endangered populations. Only one human fatality has been reported after transmission of the rabies virus strain commonly known as "raccoon rabies". Among the main symptoms for rabies in raccoons are a generally sickly appearance, impaired mobility, abnormal vocalization, and aggressiveness . There may be no visible signs at all, however, and most individuals do not show
11730-520: The spring of even-numbered years. The Board of Supervisors elects a Chairman and Vice Chairman from its membership. The executive branch of Brown County is the County Executive, who is elected in the spring of every other odd-numbered year. The executive appoints department heads with the approval of the County Board. The current county executive is Troy Streckenbach . Brown County has several other elected officials that are established under
11845-614: The state when formed by the Michigan Territorial legislature in 1818. It was named for Major General Jacob Brown , a military leader during the War of 1812 . Several towns along the Fox River vied for the position of county seat in Brown County's early years. The first county seat was located at Menomoneeville (now a part of Allouez ) in 1824. In 1837, a public referendum relocated the county seat to De Pere . The location
11960-498: The subspecies Procyon lotor pumilus coexists with the crab-eating raccoon ( Procyon cancrivorus ). The population on Hispaniola was exterminated as early as 1513 by Spanish colonists who hunted them for their meat. Raccoons were also exterminated in Cuba and Jamaica , where the last sightings were reported in 1687. The Barbados raccoon became extinct relatively recently, in 1964. When they were still considered separate species,
12075-520: The success of the anime series Rascal the Raccoon (1977). In 2004, the descendants of discarded or escaped animals lived in 42 of 47 prefectures . The range of raccoons in the wild in Japan grew from 17 prefectures in 2000 to all 47 prefectures in 2008. It is estimated that raccoons cause thirty million yen (~$ 275,000) of agricultural damage on Hokkaido alone. In Germany – where
12190-410: The three- to four-day period when conception is possible. These encounters will often occur at central meeting places. Copulation , including foreplay, can last over an hour and is repeated over several nights. The weaker members of a male social group also are assumed to get the opportunity to mate, since the stronger ones cannot mate with all available females. In a study in southern Texas during
12305-775: The top right is Appleton, the county seat of Outagamie County. To the left of Appleton and across the northern edge of Lake Winnebago is Brillion in Calumet County. The village directly to the left of Green Bay and its immediate suburbs is Denmark , in Brown County. The smaller communities above and slightly to the left of Denmark (including Cooperstown , Maribel , and Kellnersville ) are in Manitowoc County. Luxembourg (larger village in lower left) and Casco (half cut off at lower far left) are in Kewaunee County. Since 1968, Brown County has voted for
12420-610: The whole of the European Union . Though previously thought to be generally solitary, there is now evidence that raccoons engage in sex-specific social behavior . Related females often share a common area, while unrelated males live together in groups of up to four raccoons in order to maintain their positions against foreign males during the mating season and against other potential invaders. Home range sizes vary anywhere from 3 ha (7.4 acres) for females in cities, to 5,000 ha (12,000 acres) for males in prairies . After
12535-412: The wild, raccoons often dabble for underwater food near the shore-line. They then often pick up the food item with their front paws to examine it and rub the item, sometimes to remove unwanted parts. This gives the appearance of the raccoon "washing" the food. The tactile sensitivity of raccoons' paws is increased if this rubbing action is performed underwater, since the water softens the hard layer covering
12650-424: Was 3.02. The age distribution was 24.1% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% 65 or older. The median age was 36.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males. At the 2000 census there were 226,778 people, 87,295 households, and 57,527 families living in the county. The population density
12765-581: Was 429 people per square mile (166 people/km ). There were 90,199 housing units at an average density of 171 units per square mile (66 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 91.14% White, 1.16% Black or African American, 2.29% Native American, 2.18% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 3.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.8% were of German , 8.9% Polish , 7.8% Belgian and 6.8% Irish ancestry. 93.2% spoke only English at home, 3.8% spoke Spanish and 1.2% Hmong . Of
12880-521: Was built with the surroundings in mind causing minimal changes to the landscape. Attached to the Reforestation Camp's historic fire tower, participants will travel down 1,000 feet of cable to a platform near the entrance of the zoo. Two cables are present to allow participants to race at speeds reaching up to 40 miles per hour. The ropes course consists of sixty different challenges that are distributed on three levels of increasing difficulty. Participants can choose how far they would like to progress through
12995-563: Was named by Gottlieb Conrad Christian Storr . The animal's observed habit of "washing" or "dousing" (see below) is the source of its name in other languages. For example, the French "raton laveur" means "washing rat". The colloquial abbreviation coon is used in words like coonskin for fur clothing and in phrases like old coon as a self-designation of trappers . In the 1830s, the United States Whig Party used
13110-427: Was once a protected species in Germany, but has been declared a game animal in 14 of the 16 German states since 1954. Hunters and environmentalists argue the raccoon spreads uncontrollably, threatens protected bird species, and supersedes indigenous competitors. This view is opposed by the zoologist Frank-Uwe Michler, who finds no evidence that a high population density of raccoons leads to negative effects on
13225-512: Was put up for the popular vote again in 1854, resulting in the establishment of the present county seat at Green Bay. The oldest known tree in Wisconsin, a 1,300 year-old cedar growing on the Niagara Escarpment , was found in Brown County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 616 square miles (1,600 km ), of which 530 square miles (1,400 km ) is land and 86 square miles (220 km ) (14%)
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