Metabolic Adaptation to Climate and Distribution of the Raccoon Procyon Lotor and Other Procyonidae

"Metabolic Adaptation to Climate and Distribution of the Raccoon Procyon Lotor and Other Procyonidae" by John N. Mugaas, John Seidensticker, and Kathleen P. Mahlke-Johnson is a scientific study from the early 1990s that examines how the North American raccoon’s ability to live in many different climates sets it apart within its family. The study seeks to find out how the raccoon became a master of diverse environments through unique physiological traits. The research sets the scene by looking at the background of the raccoon family and its struggles with climate over time. A main idea is that "Procyon lotor" has special metabolic features that have allowed it to live in more places than its relatives; the authors will carefully study the raccoon's metabolism compared to its relatives, connecting its body's functions to where it lives.