The Big Story The scientific reason raccoons may be getting cuter
Dec 12, 2025
Kaitlin Lee chats with Albrecht Schulte-Hostedde, an evolutionary ecologist from Laurentian University, about the fascinating world of urban raccoons. They discuss a study suggesting these critters are not only getting smarter but may also be showing signs of domestication. Albrecht warns about the risks of keeping raccoons as pets due to health concerns and emphasizes the importance of human responsibility in managing food waste. He also shares insights on how raccoons' health reflects our diets and explores ongoing research into their adaptation to city life.
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Cities Drive Rapid Raccoon Change
- Urban environments drive rapid behavioural and physical changes in wildlife like raccoons.
- These changes may resemble early stages of domestication but are driven by adaptation to city life.
Don't Treat Raccoons As Pets
- Avoid handling or feeding raccoons to reduce disease risk.
- Do not treat wild raccoons like pets because they carry parasites and viruses.
Hot Dogs, Porch, And Climbing Raccoons
- Albrecht recalls a video of an older man hand-feeding raccoons that climbed onto him for hot dogs.
- He uses it to illustrate how tame behaviour can emerge but warns against close contact.