Citation. Schnell, J. H. 1969-70. Rest site selection by radio-tagged raccoons. Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science 36(2/3):83-88.   [1506  CC]

Abstract. Daytime resting sites and behavior of 14 radio-tagged raccoons were studied from April 18 to November 27, 1965, with types and use of the sites, daytime activity and shifts at the sites, and approach movements previous to resting being analyzed. The radio system pinpointed 173 rest sites, 74 percent in swamps, 17 percent in hollow trees, and 9 percent in squirrel or bird nests. Use of the rest sites did not correlate with habitat type or size of the home range or with distances which animals traveled during their active nightly period. Behavioral influences in selection of particular rest sites seemed to be the onset of parturition, the type of approach - whether meandering or direct - and proximity of some rest sites to swamp feeding areas. The study suggests that no predictable pattern is likely to be evident if an animal remembers and revisits a large number of rest sites.

Keywords. raccoon, Procyon lotor, radiotelemetry, rest site selection