Scientias · Wetenschap

Cozumel pygmy raccoons make and use paper balls as toys

Researchers studying the impact of tourism on pygmy raccoons have observed unexpected behavior: two young animals made balls out of paper to play with. This behavior appears to be specific to this local group.

The pygmy raccoon, a critically endangered species found only on the Mexican island of Cozumel, exhibits unexpectedly creative behavior. Scientists observed two young females making paper balls from trash and then playing with them.

The process began with an adult female moistening paper. One of her daughters picked up the wet paper, dipped it in water again, and rolled it in the sand to form a ball. Her sister tried to imitate this, after which the first sister helped her finish the ball. The animals batted at the balls, chased them, and shared them. This behavior was repeatedly observed in the same location, near a beach club with trash cans.

To determine if this behavior is widespread, a similar location 30 kilometers away was examined. Young pygmy raccoons there also had access to paper waste and water, but showed no signs of making or playing with paper balls. This suggests that the behavior may have originated within the specific local group and is not a natural habit of all pygmy raccoons.

Researchers conclude that these observations, although preliminary, provide evidence that pygmy raccoons interact creatively and socially with human-made materials, outside the context of foraging. A notable observation was that after the illness of the young raccoon that was the first to successfully make a ball, her sister made a ball from a hamburger wrapper.

The discovery highlights how wild animals living close to humans can use trash in unexpected ways. However, this creative behavior has a dark side. One of the sisters died shortly after the observations, likely due to malnutrition and exposure to toxic substances from the waste. Thus, the trash that provides material for play simultaneously poses a danger to these endangered animals.

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