Urban raccoons show shorter snouts, suggesting early domestication-like evolution due to city life.

Urban raccoons across the U.S. may be showing early signs of domestication, with biologist Raffaela Lesch observing shorter snouts in city-dwelling raccoons compared to rural ones. Analyzing over 19,000 photos, her team found a 3.6% reduction in snout length, a trait linked to domestication in other animals. This shift, possibly driven by access to human food and reduced fear of people, may reflect evolutionary changes similar to those in dogs and cats. While not yet domesticated, the findings suggest raccoons are adapting to urban life in ways that mirror domestication, though further research is needed to confirm heritability and broader patterns.