For 15 years, a neuroscientist has been studying the intelligence of raccoons in central Virginia. Then a drunk passed out at a nearby liquor store

For me, this story hit home. The store that hosted the drunken robber was just a few blocks from a small behavioral neuroscience laboratory where I started studying raccoon brains About 15 years ago. Despite the questionable decision made by the so-called drunk raccoon after breaking into a liquor store, the species— Procyon Lot – known for Impressive intelligence, curiosity and problem-solving skills.

Although the raccoon is one of the most interesting mammals to live alongside humans, it has avoided the scientific spotlight. Why aren’t there more neuroscientists and psychologists? Study raccoons? What aspects of the mammalian brain are researchers missing by focusing on rodents?

Why raccoons aren’t a lab staple

In the United States, estimated laboratory use More than 100 million rodentsincluding mice and rats, every year. Rodents are ideal for research because they breed easily and adapt well to confinement. Scientists have customized a wide range of research tools to study them. Long before rats dominated psychology laboratories, raccoons were actually a Leading candidates for animal models Problem solving skills and intelligence.

It all ended when the scientists realized they had achieved a cognitive match. In one study, researchers reported that all raccoon participants Escape through laboratory ventilation system.

Unsurprisingly, scientists quickly transferred to rodents. Practicality—rather than scientific applicability—ultimately made rats the kings of the laboratory. I have Decades of studying miceand I can confirm that none of them disappeared into the ceiling.

Neither a pet nor a pest

Humans have a Ambivalent relationship with raccoons. They look too wild to be tamed, too cute to be considered purely pests, and too common to be considered exotic wildlife. Even President Calvin Coolidge famously received a raccoon from a supporter in Mississippi that was ready for the dining room table. Keep it as a beloved White House pet.

Today, the character’s confusion continues when raccoons enter our living spaces and we can see their human-like behavior. A report describes a raccoon Interact with playground equipment at the childcare center On the west coast of Canada, they behave similarly to human children, even breaking into classrooms as if they were auditing morning lessons.

inspired by Montessori education principlesI visited a raccoon rehabilitation center in Saskatoon, Canada called Bandit Ranch Rehabilitation Center years ago. After introducing tights, puzzles, and blocks to the little raccoons, I watched in awe as they interacted with these objects with the focused enthusiasm of a preschooler performing a task.

This interspecific confusion appears to be mutual. Recent evidence suggests urban raccoons are becoming Becoming more and more tolerant of humansespecially when it suits them. But when curiosity or opportunity arises, they are quick to move on.

raccoon imagination

drunk person Ashland The raccoon has attracted global attention because it fits the description of the species: mischievous, opportunistic, intelligent, and somewhat human-like. But their complex brains and mental abilities, which are closer to primates than other mammals, are even more fascinating.

Early behavioral studies showed that raccoons can learn a task, then walk away, and then Return later to resolve accurately – It’s like mentally rehearsing the solution. In contrast, other species, including dogs and rats, require sustained attention. Scientists speculate that raccoons have mental imagination abilities similar to humans.

Being a rogue raccoon Climb a 25-story Minneapolis skyscraper A few years ago, I couldn’t help but wonder what that animal was expecting at the top of the mountain. Do raccoons form internal representations of future outcomes? If so, how much role and foresight did they play in the decision-making?

To answer these questions, I teamed up with wildlife biologists, veterinarians, and neuroscientists across the country to study what may be one of the most undervalued and studied brains in the animal kingdom.

What’s going on inside a raccoon’s brain?

Collaborate with neuroscientists Suzanne Herculano-UzzellMy lab at the University of Richmond found that raccoons have an astonishing number of neurons in their brains, as many as those of primates. If scaled up, a raccoon’s brain would contain approximately The number of neurons is the same as in the human brain.

We also discovered that raccoons have specialized fast-conducting brain cells called Von Economo Neuronthis phenomenon has also been found in humans, other great apes, and some other large-brained mammals. In apes, these neurons appear in the insula (a part of the brain important for processing internal body states) and the anterior cingulate gyrus (which plays a key role in emotion regulation). In raccoons, these neurons are present only in the insula and not in the anterior cingulate gyrus.

This neural arrangement may help explain the species’ surprising combination of clever problem-solving and rapid decision-making during exploration—often resulting in behavior that can lead to danger. unfortunate consequences. These findings raise the possibility that raccoon neuroscience could provide useful insights into the neural basis of impulse control and divided attention.

Work with ecologists Sarah Benson AbramThe research team also found that raccoons with more complex cognitive abilities There are more nerve cells in the hippocampusreinforcing the idea that their learning and memory abilities map to similar brain systems as humans. london taxi driverPeople who regularly used their knowledge of London’s 25,000 streets also had larger hippocampus areas.

In addition to their impressive brains, raccoons’ dexterous hands play a key role in their cognitive and creative adventures. In fact, researchers found that raccoons Forepaws map to cerebral cortex – The outer layer of the brain – similar to the human hand. Both take up a lot of space in the brain. As journalist Carl Zimmer wrote: “Hands are where thoughts and world meet“.

What raccoons can tell us about the human brain

As I argue in my upcoming book, Wild Brains, understanding raccoons’ intelligence requires observing them in their chosen environment, rather than confining them to the small, simple spaces that fit rats and mice. so called living laboratory Monitoring wild animals without restricting their behavior may be scientists’ best chance of unlocking the secrets of the species’ remarkable minds.

In my graduate training I was taught to Avoid anthropomorphizing animal research subjects – Resist the temptation to project human thoughts and emotions onto non-human thoughts, as human brains may contribute to uniquely human cognitive and emotional experiences. But primatologist Frans de Waal later introduced useful counterpoint to human denial: The mistaken belief that animals cannot share emotions or cognitive abilities with humans simply because they are not human.

The drunken Ashland raccoon attracted global attention not only because the story was funny, but also because it felt familiar. People see themselves reflected in these curious, impulsive, problem-solving animals navigating a very human environment. A willingness to step away from anthropology—while maintaining a rigorous scientific foundation—could open new avenues for understanding raccoon intelligence and, ultimately, the incredibly complex human brain.

Kelly LambertProfessor of Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Richmond

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