Trade Insights: Crab-eating Raccoon

I belong in marshes and swamps.

Crab-eating Racoons (Procyon cancrivorus) are native to marshy jungles in Trinidad and Tobago and much of South America. Sadly, these charismatic animals are threatened by overhunting, the harmful pet wildlife trade, and habitat destruction.

Their sparkling eyes framed by their identifiable “bandit mask” and bushy tails lead some people to think they are “cute” and to capture them as pets or for home zoos. They are colloquially known as “Swamp Dogs” in T&T, but their care needs are nothing like those of a domestic dog. Raccoons are wild animals that belong in forest habitats around rivers and streams and are highly unsuitable as pets.

These solitary animals don’t play well with others and can be aggressive to humans, domestic pets, and wildlife. They have sharp senses, but during the day their eyesight is limited, and they can lash out when touched or startled. Their sharp teeth, made for cracking open shells, can put quite a bite on a human. Though they like to be clean and often wash their food and hands, their enclosures can become vectors of leptospirosis if not kept sanitary by their keepers.

They have a vast diet that is expensive and labour intensive to replicate in captivity. In the wild, Crab-eating Racoons forage for crabs (hence their name) and other shellfish as well as bivalves like oysters and clams. These intelligent animals require constant attention and mental stimulation. Would-be Raccoon keepers must also contend with loud noises, pungent smells, and late nights since Raccoons are nocturnal (meaning they’re most active at night).

Crab-eating Raccoons can live for 14 years in the wild but have much shorter lifespans in captivity due to the inability of most keepers to adequately meet their care needs. These are just some of the reasons that these wild animals are highly unsuited to life in captivity.

In T&T, Crab-eating Racoons are protected under the Conservation of Wild Life Act (CoWLA). It is illegal to keep captive or sell raccoons in T&T without state-issued permits. Any person in possession of a Crab-eating Raccoon without a permit is liable to a fine of $5000.