Have you ever wanted a pet raccoon? 

Well, here’s a possible sign that dream is slowly approaching:  a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology suggests raccoons are getting closer to domestication. 

The study is not definitive yet, and more research is required. But it all has to do with researchers observing a shorter snout on the animals we affectionately refer to as trash pandas. 

GUEST
Marina Wang, freelance journalist

RELATED LINKS
Raccoons Are Showing Early Signs of Domestication - Scientific American

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Have you ever wanted a pet raccoon?&nbsp;
Well, here&rsquo;s a possible sign that dream is slowly approaching:&nbsp; <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12983-025-00583-1">a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology</a> suggests raccoons are getting closer to domestication.&nbsp;
The study is not definitive yet, and more research is required. But it all has to do with researchers observing a shorter snout on the animals we affectionately refer to as trash pandas.&nbsp;
GUEST
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.marina-wang.com/">Marina Wang, freelance journalist</a></li>
</ul>
RELATED LINKS
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/raccoons-are-showing-early-signs-of-domestication/">Raccoons Are Showing Early Signs of Domestication </a>- Scientific American</li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

A new study suggests that urban raccoons are developing slightly shorter snouts than their rural counterparts. 

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