Cozumel Raccoon: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Raccoons, Skunks and Badgers · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. This raccoon lives nowhere else on Earth but Cozumel, an island off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
2. Island life made it small. It is roughly 18% shorter than nearby mainland raccoons and weighs about 45% less.
3. Some have been seen rolling paper into balls to play with. Young ones pick up the game by watching their family.
4. Crabs make up 44 to 50% of its diet. In the dry season, when fruit is plentiful, it eats more fruit instead.
5. Its small size is not new: the Maya of Cozumel knew raccoons that were already this small.

The quiz

1. Where does the Cozumel raccoon live?

• Throughout Central America
• Only on Cozumel Island, Mexico (correct)
• On islands across the Caribbean
• In the Amazon rainforest

It is found only on Cozumel Island.

2. How much lighter is it than mainland raccoons, on average?

• About 5%
• About 10%
• About 45% (correct)
• About 90%

Island dwarfism made it about 45% lighter.

3. What have Cozumel raccoons been seen playing with?

• Seashells
• Coconuts
• Sticks
• Balls of rolled paper (correct)

They roll paper into balls and use them as toys.

4. Which food makes up 44 to 50% of its diet?

• Crabs (correct)
• Fish
• Bird eggs
• Leaves

Between 44% and 50% of what it eats is crab.

5. How do we know its small size is not recent?

• The Maya of Cozumel knew small raccoons (correct)
• From dinosaur-age fossils
• From old Spanish paintings
• From the first photos in 1950

Archaeology shows the Maya of Cozumel used small raccoons.

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