Procyon pygmaeus

The Cozumel raccoon is similar in appearance to the North American raccoon (Procyon lotor). The fur is primarily tan with interspersed dark hairs. There is a thick mask of dark fur around the eyes with distinct white fur on each side. Their tail has a golden hue and is segmented by 6 to 7 rings of dark fur. The Cozumel raccoon is the smallest member of the genus Procyon. The average weight of adult males is 3.58 ± 0.52 kg and the average weight of females is 3.28 ± 0.18 kg, with males being about 11% heavier than females. The average head and body length of an adult Cozumel raccoon is 75.5 cm, which is about 90% of the total length of the mainland species. Similarly, the average tail length is 24.4 cm for males and 24.2 cm for females. The size of their canine teeth varies greatly between the sexes, with the average length of male canines being 10.8 mm and the average length of female canines being only 9.9 mm.

The Cozumel raccoon is found on the island of Cozumel, off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, at the junction of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, 16 kilometers from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.
Cozumel raccoons prefer mangrove forests and sandy areas, but are also found in semi-evergreen and semi-deciduous tropical forests and agricultural areas. The abundance of different vegetation types varies greatly. Most numbers live in the coastal areas of the island, and most of the central part of the island is free of Cozumel raccoons or has very low densities. Cozumel raccoons may live near human residential areas, or on paved and unpaved roads.

Cozumel Raccoon (scientific name: Procyon pygmaeus) is also known as Cozumel Raccoon and Pygmy Raccoon. It is a Procyonidae, Procyon genus animal, with no subspecies.

Cozumel Raccoons are mostly nocturnal, although they can sometimes be seen during the day. They build dens as shelter, but unlike most other raccoon species, they do not hibernate due to their subtropical habitat. Cozumel raccoons have the ability to climb trees. The hind feet can rotate 180 degrees, which allows them to descend headfirst from the tree tops. Cozumel raccoons are usually solitary, but individuals sometimes form groups or temporary gatherings during mating season or to take advantage of food sources associated with humans.

It is estimated that the territory of Cozumel raccoons is about 67 hectares. The size of their territory is usually based on the availability of food. Where there is more food, the territory size is smaller; where there is no food, the territory size is larger.

Cozumel raccoons, like all other members of the genus Procyon, use their senses to communicate. Cozumel raccoons generally use their sense of touch more than other animals. Cozumel raccoons lack opposable thumbs and their claws are not retractable. Their sensitive front paws are used for handling and cleaning food or other objects. Cozumel raccoons have corrected vision, poor long-distance vision, but good night vision. Their vision is not as important as their sense of smell. Cozumel raccoons use their keen sense of smell to detect the presence of predators or prey and food. Scent glands (usually anal glands) as well as urine and feces are used as chemical markers to distinguish individuals from conspecifics. Cozumel raccoons also have an enhanced sense of hearing, which allows them to communicate well with each other. Cozumel raccoons produce vocalizations, including croaks, howls, growls, hisses, screams, and whimpers. These vocalizations are used for intra- and inter-specific communication.

Cozumel raccoons are omnivorous and feed on a wide variety of plants and animals. More than 50% of their diet is crabs. Other food sources include fruits, insects, crayfish, frogs, and other vertebrates and invertebrates, depending on the situation. Seeds from the fruit of the sapodilla (Manilkara achras) and flowering plants of the pea family, as well as leaves of panicles of the grass genus, were found in the feces. There are few differences in feeding behavior between seasons, locations, sexes, and age groups. However, their diet can also change after major changes in habitat quality due to natural or human destruction of the habitat. Hurricanes can reduce the proportion of crabs in the diet and increase the proportion of invertebrates and other food sources.

Like other raccoons, the Cozumel raccoon is polygamous. During the mating season, males and females usually gather in certain areas during a 3-4 day receptive period. During this period, males mate with as many females as possible, and females will mate with multiple males. Females breed once a year, giving birth in one of two breeding seasons. Most are born between November and January of the following year. Therefore, the breeding interval is September and November. However, some pups are born in late summer in July-August, with a breeding interval of 5-6 months. After a gestation period of 63-65 days, 2-5 pups are born per litter, each weighing about 60-75 grams. Females usually reach sexual maturity after about 1 year, while males reach sexual maturity after about 2 years. Males do not participate in raising the pups. Both sexes take care of the pups until weaning and teach them how to survive on their own. The pups are usually weaned at about 16 weeks of age. The pups become independent at about 10 months of age, however, in some cases, the offspring stay with their mother for a short time immediately after sexual maturity, but eventually disperse to find a mate.

Cozumel raccoons are infected with several diseases and parasites that can be transmitted to humans. Most of these diseases are transmitted from domestic animals. Toxoplasma gondii, a parasitic protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis, has been found in some people. Cozumel raccoons are particularly susceptible to pathogens and diseases such as mange, rabies, and distemper. Some individuals have developed antibodies against some of these diseases. All of these diseases can be a threat to humans, but due to the small population of Cozumel raccoons, the chances of disease transmission from Cozumel raccoons to humans are low. In the past, when Cozumel raccoon population levels were much higher, occasional cases of crop damage have occurred.

Due to the small population size (restricted to one island) and the concentrated population, the Cozumel raccoon is considered a critically endangered species, with all individuals comprising only one subpopulation. Although multiple population estimates exist, the typical total population estimate for Cozumel raccoons in the wild is less than 250 mature individuals, and all studies indicate that the population is declining. Although actual numbers may be quite elastic over time (given population fluctuations around tropical hurricanes), the general trend is a rapid decline in mature individuals due to increasing human encroachment (tourism, urban development, development) confining them to very small habitat fragments, invasive species (predators and pathogens), road expansion, and increasing intensity and severity of hurricanes.

The Cozumel raccoon is legally protected in Mexico, with the implementation of an island-wide Ecological Ordinance Program (Programa de Ordenamiento Ecologico Local) that aims to identify patterns of land occupation, minimize conflicts between stakeholders, and maximize consensus. The program is in the process of being formally promulgated. Steps are being taken to establish two new protected areas on the island of Cozumel. An invasive exotic animal control program is underway on the island. The program focuses on urban stray cats and dogs. A captive breeding program is also being established. An environmental education program promotes the conservation of Cozumel's endemic biota. A multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team in Mexico has developed, promoted and maintained a long-term program to study and conserve Cozumel’s native species. These efforts have helped improve the habitat and population of Cozumel’s raccoons (Cuaron et al., 2009).

Listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver 3.1, 2016) – Critically Endangered (CR).

Listed on the Mexican National List of Threatened Species (SEMARNAT 2010) – Endangered (En Peligro de Extinción).

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