How High Can a Raccoon Jump?

However, for everyone raccoons are just wild animals like other wild animals. But there are many things about raccoons which can amaze you. First, as raccoons are omnivorous, but they can eat almost every available food. Secondly, since they are known as wild, but they don’t like fighting.

Moreover, they can eat meat, but they don’t hunt until they get an appropriate chance for hunting. In addition, they don’t like to hunt if other food is available. Similarly, another fantastic thing about raccoons is their jumping and climbing ability. So let’s have a look at the fact that how high can a raccoon jump?

Raccoons are not large body animals, but they become obese with time. So that they are heavy-bodied. And because of it, they cannot jump high vertically upward.

And according to an estimation, they can jump 4-5ft high from ground to vertically upward.

Jumping Vertically Upward:

However, the jumping of raccoons depends upon different factors. Firstly, their small legs also play an essential role in jumping.

Secondly, their heavy weight has an important role also. So, as being wild, raccoons cannot jump high vertically upward because of their short legs and heavy weight.

Horizontally Jumping:

Now let’s have a look at the raccoons jumping horizontally. It means that how high and how long a raccoon can jump horizontally. As jumping upward is not the raccoon’s cup of tea because of their high weight and short legs.

Read also: What Time Do Raccoons Come Out?

However, these short legs of raccoons help them in leaping. According to estimation, it means that raccoons can leap with their legs up to a distance of 10ft.

However, due to the ability of jumping horizontally, raccoons can jump from trees to your roof and even from one tree to another. In addition, their ability to leap also helps them in hunting.

Downward Raccoons Jumping:

As, raccoons cannot jump high vertically upward, but they can jump far long horizontally. So now let’s have a look that can raccoons jump down from high places. And also, raccoons jumping is safe for them, or they might get any injury.

However, until now, we know that raccoons don’t have the ability to jump high like cats and dogs. And in this case, their downward jumping is also different from cats and dogs. Because, raccoons are much heavier and larger bodies than cats and dogs.

But instead of all these things, raccoons can jump down or fall off from anything easily or with little effort. They used to do this while hunting prey or they do this when climbing into a roof or tree.

However, in this case, their heavy fur and sharp eyesight come into play to save them from injury most of the time.

Moreover, their long back legs also helping them to leap long as needed. That’s why most of the time, they don’t get any injury from such fallings. But, it will not be true all the time.

Because any wrong attempt can harm them. Not only this, but raccoons can get an injury if they fall on a hard surface. That’s why raccoons don’t fall off from heights too often but in certain situations.

How Can Raccoons Fall Down Safely?

As raccoons are not good jumpers in an upward direction but they can be good at jumping down. So now let’s have a look at the fact that which makes them falling safely in a downward direction. And in this case, I’m going to discuss some facts about raccoons.

Extend Their Legs:

While falling downward, raccoons extend their legs and turn themselves in the forward direction. Therefore, this act helps them for precise landing.

Good Landing Abilities:

However, like cats and dog’s raccoons have good landing abilities. They use their claws and front legs for lending’s, and this trick also saves them from injury. And these are the reasons of reason’s falling down without any injury.

Climbing Abilities of Raccoons:

As raccoons don’t have that many good jumping abilities, but they are excellent climbers. However, their climbing abilities are far better than several animals.

The reason is their claws which give them the tremendous ability to climb. And, with the help of their claws they can climb high fences and houses easily and get into your yard.

Can Raccoons Jump or Climb Over Fences:

However, jumping is not the thing that raccoons do. Moreover, their jumping also lies between some ranges. But climbing is the act for which raccoons have tremendous abilities.

And this ability is because of their claws. And that’s why they can climb high fences and even houses with little effort.

Due to their climbing abilities, they can enter into any part of your house to find food sources there. So if you have raccoons in your area, try not to give any food source to raccoons. As if they find any food source into your territory, they keep coming to get it.

Because raccoons are wild animals, but they are opportunistic omnivores as well. So they will come to find food again and again if once they get it from your place.

Moreover, there are also some cases in which raccoons invade homes where they find food sources and start their family there.

Wrap Up:

As raccoons are not good jumpers in a vertically upward direction. Because they are high in weight and have short front legs. But they jump much far than horizontally as compared to jumping vertically upward.

Moreover, they can jump in the downward direction quickly without any injury. Not only this, but they can do this from high places without any fear of injury.

However, as raccoons are not good jumpers, and their jumping range is between a few ft. ‘s. But at the same time, they are fantastic climbers.

And their claws are really helpful for them in climbing. And with their claws they can climb high fences and even in houses to find food.