Raccoon Denning Behavior in Eastern Kansas as Determined from Radio-Telemetry

Abstract

Den types of raccoons (Procyon lotor) were recorded on two locations in eastern Kansas from 1985 to 1987 using radio-telemetry techniques. A total of 54 different den sites were used 130 times by 18 raccoons on the privatelyowned Badger Creek Study Area (BCSA), and 37 individual den sites were recorded for 12 raccoons 72 times on the Flint Hills Study Area (FHSA). Tree cavities were the predominant den type on both areas (BCSA = 94%, FHSA = 83%); there was a significant difference in the use of ground dens between areas (G = 5.31, df = 1, P < 0.005). Tree species selected by raccoons differed between study areas (G = 48.56, df = 3, P < 0.001). Certain den sites were frequently used by different raccoons. Six dens on BCSA and five dens on FHSA were used by three or more radio-collared raccoons. At least eight different raccoons used one cottonwood (Populus deltoides) on BCSA during this study. Communal denning was common on BCSA, with raccoons of various sex and age groups found together. These data suggest that raccoons in eastern Kansas may mark certain den sites, thus increasing the probability that these may be used by other raccoons. Den sites used by raccoons include: tree cavities, rock crevices, ground burrows, snow cavities, muskrat houses, abandoned buildings and storm sewers (Giles, 1942; Urban, 1970; Lynch, 1974; Hoffmann and Gottschang, 1977; Sherfy and Chapman, 1980; Allsbrooks, 1981; Slate, 1985). Results from these investigations indicate that selection of certain den types by raccoons may vary geographically. Although the most common type of den recorded for raccoons has been tree cavities (Kaufmann, 1982), Stains (1956) reported raccoons in Kansas used ground dens more than other types. Shirer and Fitch (1970) found cavities in rock outcrops in the hills of northeastern Kansas heavily used by raccoons, particularly in the winter. The objectives This content downloaded from 207.46.13.169 on Sat, 01 Oct 2016 06:29:35 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 72 TRANSACTIONS OF THE KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE of this study were to document den type selection and denning behavior of raccoons in an eastern Kansas floodplain.