How long do raccoons live?
Information on this is not consistent. Depending on the sources, raccoons average life-span in the wild is anywhere from 5 to 8 years while it ranges from 8 to 13 years for captive raccoons. Reportedly, there have been cases of raccoons living up to 16 years in the wild and 21 in captivity. In the wild, the greatest mortality occurs during the first 2 years of life – the principal causes of which are man (hunting, trapping, cars, dogs). In captivity, I would imagine the greatest mortality would also have to occur during the first 2 years of life – with the principal causes again being man (ignorance as to nutrition needs and proper raising of infant raccoons, failure to provide vet care necessary for captive wildlife, dumping a “pet” raccoon into the wild when it becomes too wild to handle). Natural predators are cougars, bobcats, wolves, coyotes, and alligators, with younger raccoons also falling prey to foxes and great horned owls. Malnutrition and disease (particularly distemper) al
