Raccoon Mating Habits
Unlike some mammals, raccoons do not mate for life. In fact, male raccoons seek out as many mating partners as they can find during mating season. This can mean that a male raccoon sires multiple litters of baby raccoons in a single year. This mating pattern can lead to the rapid growth of a raccoon population within a relatively short timeframe. However, the good news for homeowners is that female raccoons typically only have one litter per year of two to five babies. The males have no involvement in raising the babies. So, if you have raccoons around your home, you aren’t likely to experience a massive explosion of the problem in the way you might with some other wildlife. Nonetheless, raccoon mothers are very protective of their litter. Any effective raccoon removal strategy needs to consider the mating and child-raising habits of raccoons. Otherwise, they will likely keep coming back.