Evidence of individual odors and individual discrimination in the raccoon, Procyon lotor

• Published in: Journal of mammalogy Vol. 95; no. 6; pp. 1254 - 1262
• Main Authors: Kent, Laura, Tang-Martínez, Zuleyma
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford American Society of Mammalogists 01.12.2014; Allen Press Publishing Services; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Anal glands; Animal behavior; Carnivores; chemical composition; Chemicals; Dens; Discrimination; FEATURE ARTICLES; Feces; Gas chromatography; Gender discrimination; home range; individual odors; Male animals; Males; Mammalogy; odor discrimination; Odors; Olfaction; outdoor enclosures; Procyon lotor; raccoon; Secretion; smell; Social discrimination; social structure; Studies; Urine

Although raccoons (Procyon lotor) were originally categorized as solitary carnivores, recent evidence shows that some raccoons have overlapping home ranges, travel in groups, and share dens. Moreover, raccoons use communal latrines and scent mark, suggesting that chemical signals may be important fo...