09/06/2026
A raccoon is famous for his bandit mask, but what is a bandit without his posse? For today’s , we’re talking about the Torch Key raccoon! 🦝
The raccoon we know and love has over 20 different recognized subspecies, in varying colors, height, and personalities. Florida is lucky enough to have 4 of those subspecies, each one being in a different key or island. There’s the Matecumbe Key raccoon, found in the Key Largo region, which is smaller and grayer with a flatter skull. The classic Florida raccoon, adapted to hot weather with woolier fur texture and a tendency to shed more summer coat. The Ten Thousand Islands raccoon, very small with heavy dentition, or teeth. Last, the Torch Key raccoon!
The Torch Key raccoons are the most distinctly different of the subspecies. They are the smallest, tend to be pale, and adapted to daytime activity and marine foraging. These unique characteristics are thought to occur due to island living. No winter, so no need for heavy fat deposits to get you through hibernation. Light coloring to stave off heat, and daytime hunting when all the fish are about. They weigh in at around 4 to 6 pounds, no heavier than a housecat, allowing them to sneak around the mangrove roots.
While these guys may look extremely different, they still have the classic raccoon smarts and incredible sense of touch. Almost two-thirds of the area responsible for sensory perception in a raccoon's brain is specialized for the interpretation of tactile impulses, or touch, more than in any other studied animal. This means that with vibrissae, or whiskers, located above their claws, raccoons are able to identify objects before touching them!
You can help save our unique raccoons by keeping them wild by securing your trash, never feeding them directly, and calling licensed local wildlife rehabilitators if you encounter an injured or orphaned animal.
