Scientists have found that raccoons solve puzzles just for fun

Raccoons can solve puzzles not only for food, but also just out of curiosity. Researchers from the University of British Columbia came to this conclusion.

During the experiment, the animals continued to open mechanisms in a special box even after taking out of it the only treat. The results of the study are published in the scientific journal Animal Behaviour.

How the experiment was conducted

The scientists used a special puzzle box. It had several different ways of opening - latches, sliding doors and other mechanisms.

In total, the box had nine entrances of varying complexity.

Inside was one reward - a marshmallow.

Each challenge lasted about 20 minutes.

The raccoons continued to "play" with the puzzle

The researchers expected the animals to open the box, take out the treat and lose interest.

But many raccoons continued to discover new mechanisms, even though there was no more food inside.

According to the study authors, this could mean that raccoons solve problems not only for food, but also out of curiosity.

Scientists call this behaviour "information seeking" - when an animal explores an object to understand how it works.

How behaviour changes with complex tasks

The experiment revealed another interesting feature.

When the task was simple, raccoons actively experimented and tried different ways to open the box.

But when the mechanisms became more complex, the animals more often chose one proven method that had already brought results.

According to the researchers, this is similar to how humans make decisions: sometimes we try new things, and sometimes we choose the more reliable option.

Why raccoons do well living near humans

Scientists believe that it is these abilities that help raccoons successfully adapt to life in cities.

These animals can:

• open bins
• figure out how to unlock latches
• find new sources of food.

In addition, raccoon paws are very sensitive, so they can deftly manipulate objects.

Why this is important for science

The researchers note that studying raccoon behaviour helps to better understand how animals learn and make decisions.

Such knowledge could also be useful for studying other animal species that are increasingly living near humans.

Source:

Hannah J. Griebling, Sarah Benson-Amram, Animal Behaviour, 2026