If you had the opportunity to examine a raccoon’s paw, you would notice that it resembles the handprint of a small child, not only in the flexible motion of the fingers but also in the fact that it has five sections. Along with the thumb, which can move as far as the palm of the paw, there is another finger that would be equivalent to the human pinkie finger. It’s easy to see why people would think that raccoons have opposable thumbs if they observe a raccoon’s paw prints. However, if you actually find out that they don’t have opposable thumbs, you’ll be surprised, as it goes against the urban legend you may have heard.
How Raccoons Use Their Human-like Paws
It is fascinating to observe a raccoon’s ability to remove and grab items from your garbage bin, as if they have a semi-human paw. We can consider the fact that raccoons are able to maneuver and manipulate objects in a similar way to humans. This is at least a small part of their remarkable nature.
The animals are remarkably skilled at accomplishing tasks that we typically associate with creatures possessing opposable thumbs. Their paws, which bear a striking resemblance to human hands both in appearance and functionality, enable them to overcome obstacles such as accessing food in elevated locations. Neither trees nor buildings can impede their progress, thanks to their remarkable paws. They possess the ability to enter structures that are inaccessible to other animals and can even breach packages that one might assume to be perfectly sealed.
Another humanlike behavior of raccoons is their tendency to wash food by eating it and rubbing it against their body when water is not available.
Nature’s perfect Survivalists
The little critters, known as raccoons, are very adaptable, changing their roaming, nesting, and feeding habits as soon as their environment changes. Their behavior can be attributed to their near-human-like tendencies, making them more than just palm-sized creatures.
Humane Raccoon Removal- A Win-Win Solution
Experts around the globe, including those in Canada, strongly recommend and endorse the humane approach of removing raccoons. This is primarily because raccoons can become the most persistent and annoying invaders in our delicate ecosystem, requiring a greater effort to control wildlife other than them.
To ensure a future on planet Earth that is free from raccoons, property owners benefit from methods of humane raccoon removal, while also helping to protect these fascinating and unique creatures.