How strong are raccoons?

[jaswashburn]

I’ve just finished my duck house. The roof is on hinges so I can access it, and originally I was going to put a latch on it. But by the time it was done, the roof weighs about 50 pounds. Are raccoons strong enough to lift this? Or should I still put a latch on? Any other predators that might be able to lift it? I live in rural New Mexico...so I’ve potentially got bobcats, coyote, juvenile bears (extremely rarely-we’re in grasslands not forest), domestic dogs, theoretically mountain lions...

 

[LaFleche]

Let it be two good and strong latches.

 

[centrarchid]

50 lbs will stop a raccoon. Bears need to be stopped by something else.

 

[jaswashburn]

Thanks! I think I will add a latch—better safe than sorry