Injuries and behavior of raccoons (Procyon lotor) captured in the Soft Catch and the EGG traps in simulated natural environments.

The behavior and injuries of raccoons held for 12 and 24 hr in the Soft Catch and the EGG traps were studied in simulated natural environments. Nine raccoons held for 12 hr in the Soft Catch received minor injuries. However, one of nine raccoons held for 24 hr in this trap mutilated itself. The EGG trap caused only minor injuries to nine raccoons held for 12 hr, and nine others held for 24 hr. Thus the EGG trap can be expected, at a 95% level of confidence, to hold > or = 70% of the raccoons on traplines for 24 hr without serious injury. Raccoons captured in the Soft Catch fought their surroundings more than the trap. Those captured in the EGG trap fought the trap more than their surroundings. During the 24-hr capture study, escape behavior was more intense during the first 12 hr of capture, during both day and night.