Movement patterns and related behavior of the raccoon, procyon lotor, in East-Central Kansas.

Abstract

Two studies were conducted in east-central Kansas to describe various aspects of raccoon behavior and ecology. The first study dealt with movement patterns, social organization, denning behavior and mortality of raccoons on a privately-owned study area from August 1985 to May 1986 and September 1986 to May 1987. A cumulative total of 1987 relocations was obtained from 24 transmittered animals. Composite home ranges were estimated for 17 of them. Juvenile female home l-anges were significantly smaller -than other age groups (P < 0.05), while male home ranges were :5ignifican1:1y larger than females (p < 0.005). Raccoons displayed annual and seasonal fidelity to portions of the study area. A total of 41 seasonal home ranges was estimated for 13 animals, with males and females responding differently to the seasons (P < 0.05). High degrees of spatial overlap between adjacent home ranges were common among all sex and age groups monitored. Two adult males were closely associated with each other during the second year of the study. Trees were the preferred den type. with 91% of all individual den sites being tree cavities. Some trees served as communal den sites with more than 1 transmittered raccoon using them at a given time. The most common cause of mortality was apparently canine distemper. Losses were high in the first year, with 10 out of 20 transmitted raccoons found dead. The social tolerance exhibited by these raccoons may have contributed to the effect a highly communicable disease, such as canine distemper, had on the population. Raccoons were also studied on a federal wildlife refuge from 1985 to 1987 to determine what effect. if any, prolonged flooding had on their movements and mortality. Extensive flooding occurred on the area during the fall of both years and most of the animals remained within the flooded area. Raccoons in flooded areas were seen on tree limbs and displayed movement from tree to tree, although no exposed land was available in their home range. Their inability to forage during the fall did not appear to affect their survival during the following winter.