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Story summary
- A study finds urban raccoons show early signs of domestication, with city raccoons’ snouts about 3.5% shorter than rural counterparts, based on nearly 20,000 photos.
- The change may reflect domestication syndrome, which includes traits such as reduced aggression and fear.
- Raffaela Lesch, the study’s co-author, notes raccoons adapt to human environments by scavenging trash for food.
- Future research will examine whether similar patterns occur in other urban mammals, like opossums.
