Are raccoons becoming pets? New Arkansas study says it’s possible

A newly published study from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock suggests that North American raccoons may be showing early signs of domestication.

Researchers compared urban raccoons with their rural counterparts to track key physical and behavioral differences. After analyzing nearly 20,000 images of raccoons across the United States, they found that those living in close proximity to humans had noticeably shorter snouts than raccoons in more remote areas.

According to scientists, shorter snouts are among the first physical changes seen in animals living near humans. This trait is part of what’s known as the “domestication syndrome” phenotype, in which animals tend to become smaller, less aggressive, and exhibit other physiological changes over time.

The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.

(Story by Matt Hefner, ozarksfirst.com)