A raccoon is a mammal in the genus Procyon; P. lotor, the common raccoon, is probably the best known animal in the genus. Raccoons are native to North America, and their range extends partially into Central America as well. Because raccoons are extremely intelligent and highly adaptable, they are familiar animals to many people in North America, even those living in cities, as raccoons are quite capable of surviving in the urban environment.

The word “raccoon” comes from the Virginia Algonquin language. Early English visitors to North America were familiar with the animals by 1609, thanks to the useful furs of the animal as well as the potentially edible flesh. Captain John Smith is generally credited with introducing the concept of the raccoon to curious Europeans, writing in a confused description that raccoons were like badgers, only they climbed trees.

Raccoons tend to be around double the size of a house cat, with mousy gray bodies and bushy ringed trails. Most distinctively, raccoons have black facial markings which look sort of like a bandit's mask. The animals have extremely agile front feet which many people liken to hands, and muscular back legs which help them climb trees, swim, and run rapidly after prey.

As a general rule, raccoons are omnivorous, eating a wide variety of foods including nuts, grasses, seeds, fish, small animals, and scavenged material. The agile front feet of a raccoon allow it to catch fish by hand, and they can also pry the lids from garbage cans, open doors, and manipulate other human-constructed objects to get at desirable foods.

The raccoon is primarily a solitary animal, although the animals do get together in the late winter to mate, with litters being born in the spring. Mother raccoons will generally look after their young for a few months before encouraging them to seek their fortunes elsewhere, while fathers are not involved in child rearing.

Raccoons are excellent problem-solvers, which can be a problem for people who might try to prevent raccoons from accessing things. In cities, raccoons wreak havoc on garbage cans and dumpsters, and they have also been known to get into cars and homes in their quests for food. For gardeners and farmers, raccoons can be extremely annoying, as they will kill small farm animals like chickens and ducks, and tear up gardens in search of delicacies.

In some areas, people keep raccoons as pets, typically purchasing them from breeders or people who specialize in taming young raccoons for sale. This practice is restricted in some regions, due to concerns about rabies, a disease which raccoons frequently carry.