raccoon dog

Raccoon Dog Facts

Raccoons can climb trees, swim and dive

Raccoon dogs live in Europe and Asia. Although they look like raccoons, they are not related to raccoons. These animals are omnivorous and active at night and part of the day. Their lifespan is 6 to 11 years. They are social animals that live in pairs or small groups.

Unbelievable fact!

• These animals are closely related to foxes.
• They produce an average of 6 babies per litter.
• They eat birds, fish, insects and fruit.
• These creatures have very poor eyesight.
• They hibernate during extreme snowstorms.

scientific name

The common raccoon's scientific name is Nyctereutes procyonoides. The Greek word Nyctereutes means nocturnal wanderer: nykt (night), ereutes (wanderer). It belongs to the family Canidae and the class Mammalia.

There are four subspecies of the common raccoon:

• The Chinese raccoon ( N. p. procyonoides ) of eastern China
• Korea's Korean raccoon ( N. p. koreensis )
• Yunnan raccoon dogs ( N. p. orestes) in southeastern China and northern Vietnam
• N. p. ussuriensis ) in Siberia and the Amur regions of Russia, northeastern China, and Korea; introduced to Europe.

The Japanese raccoon was once considered a subspecies ( N. p. viverrinus ), but the current view is that it is a separate species because of its larger skull and teeth. Other names for the common raccoon are Japanese badger, tanuki, mango, and Neoguri (the animal's Korean name).

appearance

The thick coat of the raccoon dog is a mixture of brown, gray, tan and black hairs. It has a black tail with a black stripe across its shoulders. Raccoon dogs have two black eyes and fox-like ears.

In addition to the black hair on the neck, the raccoon has black hair on its nose and black rings around its eyes. This black hair mask makes this animal look like a raccoon. Now you know how it got its name! But it actually has nothing to do with raccoons. In fact, its closest relative is the fox.

In Japan and China, there are mango or civet cats with pure white fur. As the saying goes, if you see an all-white tanuki, you can expect good luck. Unfortunately, these civet cats are rare.

Adults measure between 20 and 27 inches. Adult animals weigh between 9 and 20 pounds. For example, a 20-pound raccoon dog weighs about the same as two medium-sized house cats. The heaviest known coonhound weighed 22 pounds.

Raccoon dogs have poor eyesight but a keen sense of smell. This helps them find their prey, especially when hunting at night.

Behavior

These mammals live and hunt in pairs or in small families. Social groups of raccoons are called packs. They try to avoid being seen, but can become aggressive if they feel threatened.

The animal's brown coat allows it to blend into its environment to ward off predators. These mammals can also swim and climb trees to escape threats. The ability to climb trees is a trait they share with the gray fox, another member of the canidae family.

Habitat

Raccoon dogs live in Europe and Asia. Specifically, they reside in China, Japan, Russia, Vietnam, North Korea, South Korea, Austria, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Germany, Sweden, and Finland.

These animals live in temperate climates. Their habitats include coniferous and broad-leaved forests as well as grasslands. They are also known to live in urban environments.

These mammals live in densely vegetated areas where they can hide and blend in with their environment. When food in their habitat becomes scarce, these mammals migrate to new territories where prey is more plentiful. They are adaptable and can travel long distances in search of food sources.

The activity of these animals slows down during the winter months from December to February. They hibernate, but only during severe snowstorms. They find an abandoned burrow dug by a badger or other animal and settle in during the colder months. These mammals hibernate in pairs.

diet

What do these animals eat? They are omnivorous and feed on birds, insects, lizards, snakes and mice. Plants, berries and nuts are also on the menu. This mammal can swim, so it catches frogs, crabs and fish in rivers and streams.

Some raccoon dogs live in urban environments where wildlife is scarce. So, they've been known to rummage through the trash and eat leftovers that people throw away. Sometimes raccoon dogs will steal birds' eggs from nests. In short, they adapt to whatever food is in their environment and are sometimes called scavengers.

Predators and Threats

Predators of raccoons include wolverines, wolves, bobcats, golden eagles and domestic dogs. If an animal cannot escape a predator, it can only defend itself with teeth and claws. Many of its predators were stronger and could outcompete the mammal.

Humans are another threat to these animals. Raccoon fur is in short supply, so they sometimes fall into traps set by poachers. Plus, in Japan, these animals are a delicacy.

Raccoons that live in urban environments close to home are considered pests because they can transmit diseases to pets and even humans. If they get into these environments, they are sometimes poisoned or shot. They can also be killed while trying to cross the road in busy areas.

Despite the presence of various predators and threats, the official conservation status of these animals is of least concern. Their populations are classified as stable.

Reproduction, Babies and Longevity

The mating season for these animals starts in February and lasts until April. The female releases a scent to signal that she is ready to mate. Three or four males compete for her to see who is the strongest. Once a female and a male are paired, they are lifelong companions. This means they are monogamous.

A female's gestation period is between 60 and 70 days. Raccoon babies, also known as cubs, are born in April or May. Females usually give birth to six pups per litter, but litters with as many as 15 or 16 pups have been reported. Both males and females help care for their young.

The pups are born with their eyes closed and a thin coat of coarse fur. They weigh 2 to 6 ounces. A 6-ounce raccoon dog puppy weighs the same as a pet hamster. Ten days later, the cub's eyes opened. They are nursed for the first 40 to 60 days of life, but start eating some solid foods at three weeks of age.

The cubs remain with their parents until they are four and a half months old. After that, they went out to live independently. They reach adulthood at 10 months of age. These mammals live from 6 to 11 years. The oldest recorded Japanese badger aka raccoon died at the age of 16. Its name is Tanu and it lives with a family in Japan.

As these mammals age, they become infested with parasites and fleas, and can develop mange. In some cases, they are known to carry the rabies virus.

population

The conservation status of these animals is Not Concerned. Although their exact numbers are unknown in many regions, scientists estimate that there are around 120,000 adult raccoons in Finland.

Populations of this mammal are classified as stable primarily because it is an adaptable creature that can find food and shelter in a variety of environments.

See all 110 animals that start with R