Raccoons use their nimble paws in surprising ways. Highly intelligent, they have adapted to live in forests, mountain areas, coastal marshes and even urban centers. In Native American legends, raccoons are often known as tricksters and mischief-makers. Raccoons are common throughout North America, and this mother and her kits were spotted at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Photo courtesy of Alan Crutcher, Friends of Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.