On Mexico’s Cozumel Island, young endangered pygmy raccoons were filmed pulling paper from a trash bin, soaking it, rolling it into balls, then batting and chasing them like soccer — behavior researchers say may be the first documented case of raccoons deliberately transforming material for non-food play, ZME Science reported of a study in the journal Wild.
Miami University biologist Nessie O’Neil and colleagues logged 64 hours of observation: 14 ball-making sequences, eight completed balls, and six play episodes. One juvenile performed the full routine; her sister watched, failed early attempts, then succeeded alone days later after the first was removed for care — likely learning by observation, not formal teaching. Two juvenile dwarf coatis even joined one play session. Raccoons about 30 kilometers away showed object play but no paper-ball making.
The finding carries weight for a species with fewer than 200 mature individuals. Juvenile 1 later died in rehabilitative care, likely from malnutrition and human-derived toxins; researchers say unusual learned behaviors can vanish before scientists know how widespread they are.
Sources: ZME Science; Asia Business Daily
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