Raccoons Can Open Your Latch — Here's How They Learn It

Some raccoons really can open your latch — and once one does, it remembers. Raccoons work locks out by trial and error with their hands, and have done it in puzzle-box experiments for over a century. Whether they also learn by watching each other is a real question researchers are still testing. This video covers how a raccoon figures out a latch, why roughly only one in four raccoons in a recent wild study solved puzzle boxes at all, and what that means for the gates, bins and containers in your yard. CHAPTERS 0:00 [The behavior] 0:00 [The answer] 0:00 [Why "raccoons are just clever" misses the point] 0:00 [How a raccoon actually learns a latch] 0:00 [What it means for your yard] 0:00 [What to watch for tonight] SOURCES Davis, H. B. (1907). The raccoon: A study in animal intelligence. American Journal of Psychology. Stanton, L. A., et al. (2024). Wild raccoons demonstrate flexibility and individuality in innovative problem-solving. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Griebling, H., & Benson-Amram, S. (2026). Raccoon puzzle-box study on information-seeking. Animal Behaviour. Pettit, M. (2010). The problem of raccoon intelligence in behaviourist America. British Journal for the History of Science, 43(3), 391–421. Have a raccoon problem at your home? Contact your state wildlife agency or a licensed wildlife control professional. Found an injured or orphaned raccoon? Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Narration in this video uses an AI-generated voice. #raccoons #raccoonfacts #smartanimals