Reel to real, raccoons have an adventurous spirit

If you have seen the new Guardians of the Galaxy movie, or even just the advertisements for it, you can’t help but notice one of the central characters is a talking raccoon with some serious anger issues.

Rocket Raccoon is a humanized critter, the result of some Frankenstinian experimentation. He roams the galaxy with a walking, talking tree named Groot. We know his name is Groot because all he is capable of saying is “I am Groot.”

Rocket, however, is raising interest in raccoons. Perhaps I should more accurately say that my fascination with raccoons has piqued my interest in Rocket. I had never heard of Rocket Raccoon or Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy before the movie was put into production.

Raccoons have been of interest to me since elementary school when every kid had a favorite animal. I even briefly had a baby coon as a pet, but it would never tame and we had to let it go.

Now that the masked bandits are back in the spotlight, I thought it would be good to share some interesting facts about them. One of Rocket’s lines in the movie is “Aw, I don’t have that long of a lifespan anyway.” That’s true. Raccoons in captivity can live up to 20 years, but in the wild their life expectancy is about one to three years. Hunting and automobiles are largely responsible for the difference.

It is widely held that raccoons always wash their food. That comes from the observation that most of what they eat is caught in or along the water. Trust me, raccoons aren’t that tidy.

They are naturally curious creatures and have a thing for bling. Bright, shiny objects and noisemakers are very attractive to them. Food is also attractive, which is what makes them such a nuisance to campers. Even though they have the dexterity to undo latches and zippers, they tend to take the more direct approach to getting what they want. Unless you want a mangled cooler or a torn tent, it is unwise for campers to leave food outside their vehicle at night.

Raccoons are generally nocturnal animals but not always. They are very opportunistic. There is a place in Richwood down by Lake Jackson where raccoons will come out by the dozens in the evening and be hand fed by people. This practice is frowned on by health and wildlife experts, but it doesn’t stop people from doing it. As long as there are cute, fuzzy animals and food scraps, people will always be tempted to feed them. Don’t do it!

In addition to being opportunistic, they are very adaptable. Raccoons range across North America from the coldest parts of Canada to the Mexican deserts. You’ll find them high in the Rockies down to the marshes and swamps of South Texas. They’ll make homes in anything from a hollow tree to the attic of your home.

In the spring the female will give birth to two to six kits. By the fall they generally leave mom and forge for themselves.

One thing real raccoons have in common with the reel one in the movie is a penchant for mischief. That goes with being incredibly curious. While Rocket Raccoon had a more macabre sense of humor and a knack for scheming, the real life critters do their best to live up to the masked bandit nickname.

So beware, once these furry urchins learn to take advantage of you, there will be no guardian in the galaxy that can stop them.

As for the movie, it’s a little violent for my taste and it gets to be hard to follow in some places. Still, it was enjoyable and has a lot of humor in it. I have a plan to see it again. That is, I have part of a plan…