Raccoons are similarly sized to large house cats and are distinctively marked, with a prominent black “mask” over the eyes and a heavily furred, ringed tail. Raccoons prefer hardwood forests near water. They also occur around farmsteads and livestock watering areas, far from naturally occurring bodies of permanent water. They are omnivorous, eating both plants and animals. Plant foods include fruits, berries, nuts, acorns, corn, and other types of grain. Animal foods include crayfish, clams, fish, frogs, snails, insects, turtles and a plethora of other things. Raccoons recently have been identified as a major host of rabies in the US, primarily due to increased prevalence in the eastern US making them an unsafe pest to have around your yard. Raccoons cause damage or nuisance problems around houses and outbuildings when they seek to gain entrance to attics or chimneys, or when they raid garbage in search of food. In urban areas, garbage cans and dumps can be a major source of food. In many urban and suburban areas, raccoons learn that uncapped chimneys make adequate substitutes for more traditional hollow trees for denning sites, particularly in spring. In extreme cases, raccoons may tear off shingles or fascia boards to gain access to an attic or wall space.