Are Raccoons Considered Rodents?

Raccoons are furry animals that are often seen scavenging for food in trash cans, attics, and gardens. They have a distinctive black mask around their eyes and a ringed tail. But what kind of animal are they exactly? Are they rodents, marsupials, or something else?

The answer is: none of the above. Raccoons are not rodents, marsupials, or even bears, but their own special family, the Procyonidae family. This family includes other animals such as coatis, kinkajous, olingos, ringtails, and cacomistles. These animals are all part of a larger group of mammals called musteloids, which also includes weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, and minks.