The English word raccoon comes from the Powhatan word aroughcun, which means "animal that scratches with its hands." The Aztecs went in a similar direction when naming the raccoon. They named it mapachitli or "one who takes everything in its hands." Today mapache means raccoon in Spanish. the racoon hand looks like a human – hit has five fingers and uses its hands to collect food, open shells, door or trash cans. There are six racoon species native to North and South America. The most recognisable is Procyon lotor or the common raccoon that lives in the USA. Other varieties can be found farther south, often inhabiting tropical islands. The racoon is nocturnal and mostly sleeps during the day.
