Get to know our fluffy raccoon dumpling, who lives together with many other raccoons in our TIERART wildlife sanctuary!
The raccoon, originally from North America, was introduced to Germany in the 1920s – primarily for the production of fur for the fashion industry. However, the isolated animals escaped such farms and reproduced in the wild.
The raccoon’s preferred habitat is deciduous and mixed forests. When danger threatens, it quickly climbs trees and builds its dens for the young animals there. Raccoons are great swimmers and like to be close to water, where they get most of their pet food. The twilight and nocturnal animals sleep in tree hollows for most of the day. These active little animals love to be kept busy, which is why our dedicated zoo keepers have to constantly come up with new ways to keep them busy.
Since 2016, the law in Germany prohibits the release of raccoons into the wild – without exception! Therefore, the number of raccoons at TIERART is constantly growing.
Although several new enclosures have been built in recent years, the accommodation options for raccoons are regularly exhausted. However, this is not surprising when you consider that every year TIERART receives between 300 and 400 requests for the admission of orphaned, injured or confiscated raccoons.