Masks, Mischief, and Misunderstandings: Raccoons and Their Benefits

There may have been a time when you went out into your yard only to see your garbage can sitting on its side with the lid off and contents scattered around. Chances are you had a visit from a raccoon! These “trash pandas” are notorious for being mischievous and getting into things they shouldn’t be. Despite their mischief, raccoons play an important role in their ecosystem. International Raccoon Awareness Day, celebrated on October 1st, is a day dedicated to bringing attention to these often misunderstood animals. So, let’s learn a little about them!

Raccoons can be found throughout North and Central America, Europe, and even Japan in a variety of ecosystems. They are about the size of a small dog, growing around 2-3ft in length and weighing 10-30lbs. Perhaps their most characteristic and familiar feature is the black fur that covers their eyes, hence the nickname masked bandit. Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores that eat a variety of plant and animal matter. And since they are no strangers to dumpster diving, it’s likely that they will find a way into your garbage can! Although primarily nocturnal, they can be seen during the day looking for food to support their young, taking advantage of a garden while the dogs are inside, or trying to move to a new location to call home.

As you can imagine, raccoons invading yards and eating trash can often cause conflict with humans. A lot of the time these animals are seen as pests, but did you know that raccoons are extremely beneficial to the ecosystem? Raccoons are part of nature’s “clean-up crew.” They eat just about anything, including carrion (or dead animal carcasses). They’ll eat the remains that most other animals will not touch, which helps to keep our ecosystems clean. Along with being scavengers, raccoons are also good predators. They prey on many pest species, such as rats, wasps, toads, and lizards, and help to keep populations in check. Without animals like raccoons, these pests would run rampant and could cause a lot of damage to gardens, backyards, and even put your health at risk.

But that’s not all! Raccoons are also excellent seed dispersers. When they eat wild fruits, berries, and nuts, they do not digest the seeds. Those seeds are then deposited in the raccoon’s poop. Since raccoons may travel more than 10 miles in search of food, they can disperse those seeds to new areas allowing for more diversity. Raccoons are also important in the lifecycle of many plants. They are known to be diggers, which may seem like a bad thing, but for plants it’s actually great! They assist in soil turnover, which aerates the soil making it easier for plants to grow and for decomposition to occur faster.
One thing you may not think of is how raccoons serve as prey for other animals. While they are great at catching their food, raccoons aren’t very high on the food chain. They make a great meal for many larger carnivores, like coyotes and foxes, as well as great horned owls. Just like how raccoons help control the population of smaller pest species, these predators help control the raccoon population.
Hopefully you’ve learned a little bit more about these curious (and at times mischievous) animals and have a newfound appreciation for all raccoons can do for us. If we work together, we can clear up some of the misconceptions surrounding raccoons and work towards a world where we can coexist peacefully. Education is one of the first steps in doing this, so thanks for reading!

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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That’s Wild! Celebrating National Wildlife Day

National Wildlife Day is celebrated yearly on September 4th. Created in 2005 by animal behaviorist, philanthropist, and conservationist Collen Paige, National Wildlife Day is a day to educate the public on the importance of wildlife, including the wildlife in their own backyard, and bring attention the threats these animals face. It was also created in honor of the late Steve Irwin, a beloved and renowned conservationist!

It is estimated that more than 1 million species will face the threat of extinction in the coming decades. Species such as the black rhino, hawksbill turtle, and gharial are already considered critically endangered, meaning they are at an extremely high risk of extinction. But why should you care? I’m glad you asked! Wildlife is important to us for many different reasons. Here are just a few:

Ecological balance. Animals of all shapes and sizes help maintain the balance of the ecosystems they live in: predators help with population control, butterflies, bees, and even bats pollinate plants and flowers, small mammals maintain soil health, fruit-eaters disperse seeds, etc. An ecosystem must be in balance for it to function smoothly and remain healthy. Wildlife also helps maintain biodiversity within the ecosystem. Without a wide range of animals, plants, and microorganism, our ecosystems would collapse, which would be bad considering we rely on healthy ecosystems for clean air, fresh water, and food. Removing just one animal could cause the entire ecosystem to change.

Scientific value. Wildlife can be studied to learn more about the natural world and can help us create conservation strategies that will further aid in the preservation of many different species. Wildlife also has medicinal benefits!Did you know that toxins found in venom can aid in the treatment of certain medical conditions, and that there are already several venom-based medications already in use? For example, the main compound of Captopril, which is used to treat high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart failure after a heart attack, is derived from the venom of a pit viper species found in Brazil!

Economic value. While not always obvious, wildlife can benefit farmers greatly through the ecological services they offer. Pollination is one of the most valuable ecological services wildlife can provide. Many of the fruits and vegetables we enjoy on a daily basis require pollination. The more pollinators around the better crop yield there will be! Wildlife can also be a great form of natural pest control. Some of the best pest controllers are right in our own back yards. From raccoons to bats, wildlife help keep our gardens and farms free from pests that might destroy them.

So, now you know just a few reasons why its important that we celebrate wildlife, and there are many ways you can do this. You can visit a wildlife sanctuary, go on a nature walk, volunteer and an animal rescue or conservation facility, or even plant native plants! Take some time to get out into nature and appreciate all wildlife does for us.

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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National Honey Bee Day

Happy National Honey Bee Day! Occurring on the third Saturday of August each year, National Honey Bee Day celebrates honey bees, beekeeping, and beekeepers. Bees are a crucial member of local ecosystems and pollinate 80% of the world’s plants, including 90 unique food crops. Honey bees who have found vital food sources will come back to the hive and preform a ‘waggle dance’ signaling the direction and amount of food available. The closer the food and the more food there is the more ‘waggle’ there shall be! The bees with the best waggle are deemed the ‘winners’ and their food source will be harvested first – imagine having dance offs to decide your dinner location.

With over 16,000 people employed across beekeeping, beekeepers and other workers are necessary to the survival and future of honey bees and the various plants they pollinate. Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, has led to half of the world’s honey bee colonies disappearing since the 1940s. We can help honey bee populations by planting native backyard gardens with some of their favorite flowers and plants, such as rough aster. Urban beekeeping and the beekeeping community have been able to help urban honey bee populations by providing re-homing for unwanted bees, urban hive havens, and community bee yards. 

Recognizing Our Honey Bees

Buzz, buzz, buzz! Though there are over 20,000 known bee species and over 4,000 natives to the United States, honey bees are recognizable by their warm amber-brown body color, striped abdomens, and heart-shaped faces. Honey bees have two unique forms of identification not found in most other bees – large hairy compound eyes and the lack of tibial spurs. Hairy compound eyes large enough to see with a lens or phone camera aid honey bees allows for enhanced vision. Next time you see a bee you think might be a honey bee, try to use your phone’s camera to check out the eyes! The lack of tibial spurs (spurs on the hind legs to assist in digging) typical of nearly every other bee species is due to their housing in wax comb homes instead of holes in the ground or various cavities.

The Life of an Honey Bee

A honey bee hive, consistent of a hexagonal wax cells forming a comb, houses three types of bees – the queen bee, drone bees, and worker bees. The queen bee lives between three to four years and can lay up to 1,500 eggs a day, with her sole purpose to lay eggs which will become either worker or drone bees. Worker bees – the workhorses of the honeycomb – are non-reproductive females responsible for all tasks other than mating with the queen or laying eggs: gathering nectar, guarding the hive, caring for the queen and all larvae, cleaning and maintaining the hive, and producing and storing honey in the honeycombs. These bees will usually leave the hive around 15 times per day and visit upward of 1,500 flowers a day! Drone bees are only males and primarily exist to mate with the queen bee. These drone bees do not have stingers and never leave the hive to collect nectar and pollen. Unlike drone bees, female worker bees have stingers which provide additional self-defense when foraging or defending the hive. Though it is true honey bees will often die after stinging a human, this is only due to our softer and fleshier skin as mammals! Less than 1% of the human population is estimated to have a severe reaction to honey bee stings – what a stingingly-low number!

Keeping Our Honey Sweet

National Honey Bee Day is about recognizing the problems honey bees face while honoring those who keep and manage honey bee populations. Honey bees have been crucial to the survival crops and the animals which on rely on them, including us! In fact, the first alcoholic beverage ever made – mead – is made from the honey bees produce. Honey bees are hard workers and will fly up to 6 miles to gather nectar necessary for our crops and other plants! You can learn more about honey bees and National Honey Bee Day at honeylove.org, who currently manages National Honey Bee Day! You can show appreciation for our honey bees by planting native backyards and supporting beekeepers. Have a buzzin’ bee-autiful day!

Written by Brandon Sullivan
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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