Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758)
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Procyonidae |
| Genus | Procyon |
| Species | Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Description
Diagnostic characters
- Ecological class
- Trogloxene
- Realm
- Terrestrial
Distribution
Range
Known from 48 counties across 10 states.
Continent
North America
Country
United States
States and provinces
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia
Counties
- Alabama
- Colbert, Jackson, Madison, Morgan
- Arkansas
- Independence, Lawrence, Montgomery, Searcy, Stone
- Florida
- Jackson, Levy
- Georgia
- Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Walker
- Illinois
- Calhoun, Carroll, Jo Daviess, Pike
- Indiana
- Lawrence, Monroe
- Kentucky
- Breckinridge, Edmonson, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Warren
- Oklahoma
- Adair, Delaware
- Tennessee
- Bedford, Blount, Claiborne, Cumberland, DeKalb, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, Montgomery, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Rhea, Stewart, Van Buren
- Virginia
- Lee
Conservation and management
IUCN Red List
LC Least Concern
Assessed in 2016.
NatureServe
G5 Secure
National ranks
- United States
- N5 Secure
- Canada
- N5 Secure
Subnational ranks
- Indiana
- S5 Secure
- Tennessee
- S5 Secure
- RI
- S5 Secure
- New York
- S5 Secure
- Oregon
- S5 Secure
- New Mexico
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Georgia
- S5 Secure
- ND
- S5 Secure
- Illinois
- S5 Secure
- Louisiana
- S5 Secure
- Nevada
- S5 Secure
- Michigan
- S5 Secure
- South Dakota
- S5 Secure
- Arizona
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Missouri
- S5 Secure
- Connecticut
- S5 Secure
- Montana
- S5 Secure
- Florida
- S5 Secure
- Utah
- S5 Secure
- Ohio
- SNR Unranked
- Kentucky
- S5 Secure
- Arkansas
- S5 Secure
- South Carolina
- S5 Secure
- Massachusetts
- S5 Secure
- Virginia
- S5 Secure
- Pennsylvania
- S5 Secure
- Wisconsin
- S5 Secure
- Vermont
- S5 Secure
- Wyoming
- S5 Secure
- Iowa
- S5 Secure
- DE
- S5 Secure
- ME
- S5 Secure
- Alabama
- S5 Secure
- Colorado
- S5 Secure
- NE
- S5 Secure
- NJ
- S5 Secure
- Mississippi
- S5 Secure
- NH
- S5 Secure
- Minnesota
- SNR Unranked
- NN
- S5 Secure
- Oklahoma
- SNR Unranked
- Maryland
- S5 Secure
- North Carolina
- S5 Secure
- District of Columbia
- S5 Secure
- Washington
- S5 Secure
- Kansas
- S5 Secure
- Texas
- S5 Secure
- California
- SNR Unranked
- Idaho
- S5 Secure
- West Virginia
- S5 Secure
- Manitoba
- S5 Secure
- British Columbia
- S5 Secure
- New Brunswick
- S5 Secure
- Nova Scotia
- S5 Secure
- Ontario
- S5 Secure
- Prince Edward Island
- SNA Not Applicable
- Saskatchewan
- S5 Secure
- Quebec
- S5 Secure
- Alberta
- S4 Apparently Secure
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
References
- Aldrich, J.M. 1897. A collection of Diptera from Indiana caves. In: Blatchley, W.S. (ed), The Fauna of Indiana Caves. Annual Report of the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources (1896), pp. 186–190. Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources, Indianapolis, IN, USA. https://rcin.org.pl/dlibra/doccontent?id=67836.
- Bailey, V. 1933. Cave Life of Kentucky. US Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Biological Survey, Washington, DC, USA. 256 pp.
- Banta, A.M. 1907. The fauna of Mayfield's Cave. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 67: 1–114. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/60987.
- Bush, G. 1985. Crooked Creek Ice Cave, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. In: Hacker, C., Vore, D. & Vore, D. (eds), 1985 NSS Convention Guidebook no. 25: The Caves of South Eastern Kentucky, pp. 35–37. Ohio Valley Region, National Speleological Society.
- Causey, N.B. 1959. Some cavernicolous millipeds from the Cumberland Plateau. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 34: 229–237.
- Cooper, J.E. 1975. Ecological and behavioral studies in Shelta Cave, Alabama, with emphasis on decapod crustaceans. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. 364 pp.
- Dunivan, J.D., Tumlison, C.R. & McDaniel, V.R. 1982. Cave fauna of Arkansas: further records. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 36: 87–88. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol36/iss1/28.
- Fenolio, D.B. 2011. 2011 Ozark aquatic subterranean wildlife surveys. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 6 pp.
- Fenolio, D.B., Niemiller, M.L., Slay, M.E. & Carter, E.T. 2017. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2017 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 17 pp.
- Fenolio, D.B. 2017. 2017 Ozark aquatic subterranean wildlife surveys. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 15 pp.
- Fenolio, D.B., Niemiller, M.L., Slay, M.E. & Carter, E.T. 2018. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2018 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 25 pp.
- Fenolio, D.B., Slay, M.E. & Niemiller, M.L. 2023. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2023 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 24 pp.
- Fenolio, D.B., Slay, M.E. & Niemiller, M.L. 2023. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2022 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 24 pp.
- Fenolio, D.B., Slay, M.E., Niemiller, M.L. & Richard, K. 2024. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2024 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 17 pp.
- Franz, R., Bauer, J. & Morris, T. 1994. Review of biologically significant caves and their faunas in Florida and south Georgia. Brimleyana 20: 1–109. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/229726.
- Heath, D.R., Saugey, D.A. & Heidt, G.A. 1986. Abandoned mine fauna of the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas: vertebrate taxa. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 40: 33–36.
- Hobbs, III., H.H. 1994. Assessment of the ecological resources of the caves of Russell Cave National Monument, Jackson County, Alabama and of selected caves at the Lookout Mountain Unit of Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, Dade County, Georgia and Hamilton County, Tennessee. 200 pp.
- Hubricht, L. 1962. New species of Helicodiscus from the eastern United States. The Nautilus 75: 102–107. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8283022.
- Jones, W.B. & Varnedoe, W.W. 1968. Caves of Madison County, Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama Circular 52: 1–177.
- Lamb, J. & Wyckoff, G. 2010. White-nose syndrome monitoring and response report for Tennessee. Tennessee Bat Working Group. 24 pp.
- Lawson, K.M., Schotz, A.R., Jenkins, A.J., Armbruster, J.W., Black, C., Callahan, M., Goertzen, L., Hansen, C., Stephen, C.D.R., Werneke, D., Mendonca, M. & Molina, E. 2021. Planning level survey of Redstone Arsenal for at-risk species and ecologically significant communities. Environmental Management Division, U.S. Army Garrison, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, USA. 402 pp.
- Lewis, J.J. 2004. Interstate 66 karst faunal study. Environmental Impact Statement. 17 pp.
- Lewis, J.J. 2005. A biological inventory of caves of the Cumberland Plateau. Tennessee Chapter Cave Program, The Nature Conservancy, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. 156 pp.
- Lewis, J.J. & Lewis, S.L. 2005. Inventory of the subterranean fauna of Tims Ford State Park, Franklin County, Tennessee. Tennesee Natural Heritage Program, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. 28 pp.
- Lewis, J.J. & Lewis, S.L. 2007. A biological reconnaissance of selected caves in the Highland Rim area of central Tennessee. Tennessee Chapter Cave Program, The Nature Conservancy, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. 42 pp.
- Linzey, D.W. 1995. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 1995 update. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 111: 1–81.
- Linzey, D.W. 2016. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 2016 revision. Southeastern Naturalist 15, Monograph 8: 1–93.
- Malcolm, D.R. & Chamberlin, J.C. 1961. The pseudoscorpion genus Kleptochthonius Chamberlin (Chelonethida, Chthoniidae). American Museum Novitates 2063: 1–35. https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/items/a8f690cd-8350–4296–8094–3b4766183f21.
- Marshall, S.A. & Peck, S.B. 1984. Distribution of cave-dwelling Sphaeroceridae (Diptera) of eastern North America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Ontario 115: 37–41.
- McDaniel, V.R. & Gardner, J.E. 1977. Cave fauna of Arkansas: vertebrate taxa. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 31: 68–71. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol31/iss1/22.
- McGregor, S.W., Rheams, K.F., O'Neil, P.E., Moser, P.H. & Blackwood, R. 1994. Biological, geological, and hydrological investigations in Bobcat, Matthews, and Shelta caves and other selected caves in north Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. 226 pp.
- McGregor, S.W., O'Neil, P.E., Rheams, K.F., Moser, P.H. & Blackwood, R. 1997. Biological, geological, and hydrological investigations in Bobcat, Matthews, and Shelta caves and other selected caves in north Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama Bulletin 166: 1–198.
- McGregor, S.W. & O'Neil, P.E. 2000. Investigations of physical and biological conditions in the vicinity of Bobcat Cave, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, relative to the Alabama cave shrimp (Atyidae: Palaemonias alabamae) 1999–2000. Geological Survey of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. 49 pp.
- Niemiller, M.L., Zigler, K.S., Hinkle, A., Stephen, C.D.R., Cramphorn, B., Higgs, J., Mann, N., Miller, B.T., Niemiller, K.D.K., Smallwood, K. & Hardy, J. 2023. The Crystal-Wonder Cave System: a new hotspot of subterranean biodiversity in the southern Cumberland Plateau of south-central Tennessee, USA. Diversity 15: 801. doi:10.3390/d15070801
- Niemiller, M.L., Anderson, C.L., Maxwell, E.C., Midgette, H., Quering, C., Richards, M., Wilson, K. & Wirwa, N. 2025. A noteworthy range extension of the federally endangered Alabama Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae) south of the Tennessee River in northern Alabama. Southeastern Naturalist 24: N47-N58. doi:10.1656/058.024.0403
- Poulson, T.L. 1961. Cave adaptation in amblyopsid cavefishes. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. 185 pp. doi:10.7302/9847
- Rheams, K.F., Moser, P.H. & McGregor, S.W. 1992. Geologic, hydrologic, and biologic investigations in Arrowwood, Bobcat, Matthews, and Shelta caves and selected caves, Madison, County, Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. 262 pp.
- Trumbore, L.E., Reynolds, R.J., Thomas, S.C., Orndorff, W., Cramphorn, B., Gladstone, N.S., Harden, C.W., Lewis, J.J., Milne, M.A., Ober, K.A., Shear, W.A., Stephen, C.D.R. & Zigler, K.S. 2024. Cave biodiversity of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 86: 13–24. doi:10.4311/2022LSC0116
- Tuttle, M.D. 1977. Gating as a means of protecting cave dwelling bats. 1976 National Cave Management Symposium Proceedings: 77–82.
- Wallace, R.L. 1984. Biological survey report of Great Smoky Mountains National Park caves. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S. National Park Service, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA. 33 pp.
- Wallace, R.L. 1990. Biological survey report of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park caves. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S. National Park Service, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA. 34 pp.
- Webb, D.W., Taylor, S.J. & Krejca, J.K. 1993. The biological resources of Illinois caves and other subterranean environments. Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois, USA. 143 pp.
- Zigler, K.S., Niemiller, M.L., Stephen, C.D.R., Ayala, B.N., Milne, M.A., Gladstone, N.S., Engel, A.S., Jensen, J.B., Camp, C.D., Ozier, J.C. & Cressler, A. 2020. Biodiversity from caves and other subterranean habitats of Georgia, USA. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 82: 125–167. doi:10.4311/2019LSC0125
How to cite this account
Procyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758). Cave Biology Data Portal, account SP-2854. https://cavebiology.org/species/procyon-lotor/ (accessed 7 September 2026).
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report a correction. Accounts are compiled from many sources and corrections from people who know the group are the most useful email we get.