A researcher in Arkansas hypothesized that raccoons are undergoing "self-domestication" in urban areas because she believes that urbanization kick-starts the domestication process. Whether it's the domestication of dogs, cats, or cows, the process of domestication results in physical changes for the animals undergoing domestication. Humans select animals who possess the traits that they prefer. In dogs, for example, we selected for friendlier individuals, choosing to invest our time and resources in pups that weren't afraid of us and were able to work alongside us. One physical trait associated with domestication is a shrinking/shortening of the nose (someone really should have told collies about that fact, but I digress). The author of the study stated that researchers weren't sure why smaller snouts are associated with domestication, but that's not entirely true. We do know why noses get smaller. It's all about selecting for traits that make animals "cuter" or more baby-like. Button noses are cute, whether they are on a human baby or a kitten. There is a name for this biological process whereby animals retain juvenile characteristics into adulthood and it is neoteny.
Neoteny can be seen everyday. Those tiny little features on the face of a human infant help bond them to their mother and other caregivers. Those same tiny features are seen in the faces of kittens and puppies too and we've selected for those same features to be carried on into our adult cats and dogs. Cats are developing larger foreheads, dogs are getting shorter noses and bigger eyes, characteristics seen in juvenile animals of any species. It's all about what humans select for and we have a tendency to select those individual animals that look like babies we can care for.
Okay, back to the raccoon study. The researchers in this study looked at thousands of photographs of raccoons living in rural and wild areas and compared their snout size/length to photos of urban raccoons. What did they find? They found smaller snouts on the urban living raccoons, a sure sign that domestication is happening. From this they concluded that perhaps one day, raccoons might be kept as pets, much like dogs and cats are now.
All I know is this: Raccoons have a long way to go before I'd ever consider one as a pet. I do know wildlife rehab folks who care for injured, abandoned, and neglected wild animals. Some are released back into the wild while others must live out their lives in various levels of confinement due to permanent injuries, loss of limbs, or other disabilities. The best wildlife rehab people build beautiful enclosures that give these animals a wonderful life, safe from predators, including cars. These animals are allowed to be animals, though they often become acclimated to their human caretakers, interacting with them and other species of animals, much like the animals I worked with years ago at the Wild Animal Park. It makes for entertaining videos and a good way to learn about wildlife. Here's one of my favorite wildlife rehab folks (she does have raccoons, as well as foxes, and opossums, and a skunk): https://www.instagram.com/juniperfoxx/
Anyone out there ever had a wild animal as a pet? I've met folks who had wolves, ferrets, and yes, raccoons. Would love if you shared your stories with all of us.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
Here's one of my favorite pictures from my Wild Animal Park days. This is my friend, Michele, and me with Ralph and Betty, our raccoons. These animals, along with a fox, wolf, a couple black bears, lynx, bobcat, and three opossums, just to name a few, were the animals we trained and cared for. You'll notice no dangly earrings (Ralph and Betty would have stolen them), and Betty has a hold on one of Michele's buttons. She was bravely wearing a watch!
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