Raccoons are amazing. I get it, I really do. They are intelligent, adaptable, charismatic, and adorable. But feeding raccoons—whether in urban areas or tourist destinations—is harming them.
From obesity and organ failure to road accidents and euthanasia, feeding raccoons is a deadly habit. And in places like Cozumel, Mexico, where the critically endangered pygmy raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus) fights for survival, this seemingly harmless act is pushing an already at-risk species closer to extinction.
Feeding Raccoons Does Not Help Them
Many people assume that feeding wildlife is a kind act—that raccoons appreciate the extra food and it helps them survive. But the reality is quite the opposite.
Raccoons in the wild do not need human food to survive. They are opportunistic omnivores, meaning they can find their own food in their natural environments. Feeding raccoons disrupts their natural behaviors. This makes them dependent on humans rather than foraging for a proper diet.
This is especially true in tourist areas like Cozumel, There, visitors frequently offer food to pygmy raccoons without realizing they are a separate, critically endangered species.
Junk Food is Killing Raccoons
The most immediate danger of feeding raccoons is nutritional damage. Most of the food tourists and well-meaning locals provide—such as fried foods, tortilla chips, and cat food—is extremely unhealthy for raccoons.
- Fried food and greasy snacks cause obesity and diabetes in raccoons. This leads to painful kidney and urinary tract issues.
- Cat food, which many assume is fine for raccoons, contains added taurine. Taurine is an amino acid that is toxic to them in high amounts, causing organ failure.
- Chicken bones can splinter and cause internal injuries, which are often fatal.
Over time, these dietary issues lead to chronic suffering and premature death. With this in mind, feeding raccoons one of the worst things people can do for them.
Teaching Raccoons to Trust Humans is Dangerous
Another major consequence of feeding raccoons is habituation. This is the process where wild animals lose their natural fear of humans.
Raccoons that associate people with food begin to actively seek out human interaction, putting them at risk in multiple ways.
Increased Road Mortality – Habituated raccoons venture closer to roads and urban areas, dramatically increasing their chances of being hit by cars.
Higher Euthanasia Rates – Raccoons that approach humans too boldly are more likely to be trapped and euthanized because they are perceived as a threat or assumed to be rabid.
More Human-Raccoon Conflicts – Research shows that most raccoon bites happen to people who don’t have food, as habituated raccoons become aggressive when their expectations aren’t met.
It Just Isn't Worth It
Once raccoons lose their fear of people, they cannot be rewilded. As a result, they are often killed as “nuisance” animals when they start seeking food in human spaces.
In places like Cozumel, while the endangered raccoons will not be trapped and euthanized, they can still end up getting physically hurt. There are many cases of pygmy raccoons breaking in to beach bars and stealing alcohol, or getting hurt (punched, kicked) by humans when they bite.
How Feeding Raccoons in the U.S. Hurts Endangered Raccoons in Mexico
This problem of feeding raccoons isn’t just local—it has global consequences.
In the United States, raccoons are often seen as common “trash animals”, leading many people to believe that feeding them is harmless. But tourist behavior doesn’t stop at home, it travels with them.
A study I conducted on tourist-raccoon interactions in Cozumel found that many visitors treat pygmy raccoons the same way they treat common raccoons back home. Unfortunately, tourists are unaware that they are interacting with one of the most endangered mammals in North America.
This behavioral spillover means that tourists who have fed raccoons in the U.S. are more likely to do so abroad. This brings harmful habits places where the consequences are far more severe.
Social Media's Role in Harming Raccoons
Social media has played a significant role in normalizing and even encouraging the feeding of raccoons. Viral video often show people feeding raccoons junk food, letting them climb onto their laps, or even inviting them into their homes. While these clips may seem harmless or adorable, they promote dangerous behavior that ultimately harms both raccoons and people.
One of the biggest issues with these viral interactions is that they fail to show the long-term consequences of feeding wildlife. Accounts like the raccoon drivethru and raccoon daycare present a skewed reality. In these videos, raccoons are treated as characters rather than wild animals with specific dietary and behavioral needs. The more people see raccoons being fed online, the more they assume it’s acceptable—or even beneficial—to do the same in real life.
A Fed Raccoon is a Dead Raccoon
Feeding raccoons might feel like a fun, harmless activity, but its not. It sets them up for disease, dependency, and an early death. Whether you encounter raccoons in the U.S. or while traveling abroad, the best thing you can do is let them stay wild. Their survival depends on it.
