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Do raccoons swim?

Raccoons have found a way to survive for thousands of years. They are one of the most adaptable creatures, who use their sharp claws, there thick coat of fur, and their natural instincts to be able to adapt to virtually any kind of situation that they are in.



Think about the fact that firm many years in America, raccoons were hunted for their fur to be used in clothing and enhance. This left many of the species of raccoons near extinction, but they have continued to survive and thrive, adapting to the world where houses and swimming pools have overcome and taken over the vast majority of their natural habitat where they have lived for thousands of years before Europeans came to this continent.

To survive, they have often had to move or adapt to new locations to be able to find food and shelter in which to survive. Many of these locations have been along rivers or creeks and that may make you wonder if raccoons swim?

The truth is that raccoons are actually quite excellent swimmers. Like most mammals that you will encounter, raccoons have the capability to swim, much like a cat or a dog. What separates a raccoon from many of these other animals is that they don’t just know how to swim but are actually quite excellent swimmers.

Because of the habitats that raccoons normally resided, there are a vast number of creeks and ponds that can be found in these areas. If they were unable to navigate themselves through the waters they would be denying themselves the opportunity to be able to find a vast amount of food.

Raccoons are known to eat such things as frogs, shellfish, and even fish. To acquire these meals, they must be able to get into the water to be able to capture them. While some forms of these foods, like frogs, can be found along the shoreline, it is more likely that the raccoon would find fish or shellfish in the water itself. This is how their ability to swim really comes in handy.

A raccoon can swim quite proficiently, even buckets head underwater for a time, to be able to capture and haul in its prey to eat. Because of their sharp claws, they are able to grasp at and control fish and other wildlife that is in the water so that they can turn that into their next meal.

For those who have a swimming pool, you are probably already well aware that a raccoon can swim quite well. There are many instances where people who live in areas where raccoons are known to reside have awoken to find one of these critters making its way across their pool. This can happen because the raccoon is looking to capture something that is in the water, or simply because it finds your pool a shortcut of sorts to get across your yard.

Either way, you should be aware that a raccoon can be prone to get inside your pool. Read more: Raccoon Control, how to get rid of raccoons, Raccoon Feces, How to get raccoons out of the ceiling.


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