Are Raccoons Evolving Into Pets?
This article explores the increasing habituation of raccoons to human environments, specifically focusing on a case where wild animals have begun entering a home for food. It examines the blurred lines between wild behavior and domestic interaction.
Why it matters
The piece highlights the ecological consequences of human-wildlife interaction and the potential for behavioral shifts in urban wildlife populations.
The myth and science of the country’s favorite floofy, fluffy cuddle-badgers
Illustration by Pedro Nekoi August 9, 2026, 8:11 AM ET Share Save A t 10 p.m. in early July , Long Island was sweltering under a heat dome. As bedroom lights dimmed and heavy clouds rolled in, a raccoon ambled onto the porch of a split-level home, found a crack in a sliding door, and slipped inside. He tongue-polished a lasagna tray on the floor near the kitchen counter before waddling back into the damp fug of the summer night.
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