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						<p class="date">30 December 2014</p>
						<p><h3 id="featured-animal">&mdash; Raccoons &mdash;</h3></p>

						<h4>Types of Raccoon</h4>
						<p>The word "raccoon" comes from the Native American Algonquian word <i>Arakun</i>, meaning
						"one who scratches with his hands."</p>

						<p>There are seven species of raccoon, five of which are rare and only found on a few islands:
							<ol>
								<li><i>North American / Common raccoon</i>: ranges from Canada to Panama. These raccoons prefer
									foresty areas but often live around people and even in cities.</li>
								<li><i>Crab-eating raccoon</i>: lives in marshy and junle areas in Central and South America.</li>
								<li><i>Bahaman raccoon</i></li>
								<li><i>Cozumel Island raccoon</i></li>
								<li><i>Barbados raccoon</i></li>
								<li><i>Guadaloupe raccoon</i></li>
								<li><i>Tres Marias raccoon</i></li>
							</ol>
						</p>


						<h4>What do they eat?</h4>
						<p>Raccoons are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. In fact, they will eat
						almost anything: nuts and berries, fish, eggs, worms, dead animals, and even garbage. Because
						they aren't at all picky, raccoons are called "opportunistic feeders."</p>

						<p>But, raccoons have to be careful in the wild to avoid being hunted themselves by things like
						wild cats, coyotes, foxes, and owls. Most of the time, these animals don't want to fight with
						a healthy adult raccoon, but a sick, old, or baby raccoon could be a tasty snack. Raccoons also
						have to be careful to avoid being killed by people, either by traps people set out because they
						see them as pests, or accidentally by being hit by a car.</p>

						<h4>A word of caution</h4>
						<p>Unlike many animals, raccoons often live among people, in backyards or in cities. Cornered
						raccoons can be dangerous, so it is important to respect them and keep distance, observing them
						from afar but generally letting them be. In addition, in Eastern United States, raccoons are
						known to suffer from rabies. Signs of rabies include raccoons roaming about in the daylight,
						looking dazed or confused, or failing to avoid crowds. If a raccoon shows these behaviors, it
						is even more important to avoid approaching it.</p>

						<div id="sources">
							<h5>Sources:</h5>
						
							<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raccoons-Books-Young-Explorers-Kostyal/dp/0870446770/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420346162&sr=8-1&keywords=raccoons+books+for+young+explorers"><h6>Raccoons - Books for Young Explorers</h6></a>
							by K. M. Kostyal

							<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raccoons-New-Naturebooks-Patrick-Merrick/dp/1592966470/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420346538&sr=8-1&keywords=raccoons+new+nature+books"><h6>Raccoons - New Nature Books</h6></a>
							by Patrick Merrick

							<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raccoons-Backyard-Animals-Jennifer-Hurtig/dp/1590366700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420347471&sr=8-1&keywords=raccoons+backyard+animals+jennifer+hurtig"><h6>Raccoons - Backyard Animals</h6></a>
							by Jennifer Hurtig

							<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/raccoon-nation-raccoon-fact-sheet/7553/"><h6>Raccoon Fact Sheet - PBS.org</h6></a>
						</div>


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