Maybe an animal that spends most of its life diving into dumpsters doesn’t appear to be the sharpest tool in the shed, but raccoons are smarter than we give them credit for. Often underestimated due to their mischievous reputation, raccoons are actually very intelligent animals. They possess remarkable cognitive abilities, including the capacity to learn from past experiences and solve problems. In one study, raccoons were able to open 11 of 13 complex locks in fewer than 10 tries, and had no problem repeating the action when the locks were rearranged or turned upside down. They can also remember solutions to tasks for up to three years. Raccoons are extremely adept at figuring out how to access food and shelter, often outsmarting humans to get what they need. So, the next time you see one of the masked bandits taking a midnight stroll through your garbage cans, just remember that it probably plotted the heist way in advance.
