The North American raccoon is one of seven raccoon species. Raccoons are stocky-bodied, nocturnal, and usually solitary mammals. They prefer swampy areas or woods near water and are absent from very high elevations, very arid regions, and purely coniferous forests. Contrary to popular belief, raccoons do not wash their food before eating it. This situation only is seen among animals in captivity, and is believed to be an outlet for the frustrated behavior of searching for small prey in water.