Common Raccoon
Common RaccoonCommon RaccoonCommon RaccoonCommon Raccoon

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
57 Verified records at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's active Active throughout day and night

The raccoon ( or US: , Procyon lotor), sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon (also spelled racoon) to distinguish it from other species of raccoon, 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 the mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas surrounding the species. The raccoon is noted for its intelligence, and studies show that it can 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. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Raccoon sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 57 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

70–80% · Very likely
Coyote
LC Endemic

Coyote

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis latrans

20–30% · Possible
Northern River Otter
LC Endemic

Northern River Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lontra canadensis

10–20% · With luck
🐒 No photo available
LC

Striped Skunk

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Mephitis mephitis

5–10% · With luck
Red Fox
LC Endemic

Red Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes vulpes

5–10% · With luck
Bobcat
LC Endemic

Bobcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Lynx rufus

5–10% · With luck
Eastern Spotted Skunk
VU Endemic

Eastern Spotted Skunk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Spilogale putorius

<5% · Rare
Gray Fox
LC Endemic

Gray Fox

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
30–40
Feb
10–20
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
5–10
Jun
10–20
Jul
10–20
Aug
5–10
Sep
10–20
Oct
10–20
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️🌙 When They're Spotted

Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)

☀️🌙Day & Night
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
70–80%
2 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
70–80%
3 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
40–50%
4 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
5 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
6 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
30–40%
7 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
8 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
20–30%
9 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
10 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
11 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
12 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
13 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
14 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
15 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
16 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
17 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
18 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
19 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
20 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
21 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
22 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
23 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
24 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
25 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
26 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
27 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
28 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
29 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
30 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
31 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
32 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
33 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
34 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
35 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
36 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
37 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
38 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
39 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
40 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
41 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
42 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
43 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
44 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
45 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
46 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
47 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
48 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
49 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
50 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
51 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
52 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
53 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
54 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
55 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
56 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
57 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
58 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
59 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
60 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
61 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
62 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
63 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
64 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
65 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
66 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
67 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
68 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Raccoon in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

About 13% of wildlife watchers report a Common Raccoon sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 57 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Raccoon in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Common Raccoon in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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