Everything about The Raccoon Dog totally explained
The
Raccoon Dog (
Nyctereutes procyonoides, from the
Greek words
nycto-, "night";
ereutes, "wanderer";
procyon, "raccoon"; and the
suffix -oid) is a member of the
canid family (which includes dogs, wolves, and foxes) and is indigenous to east
Asia. It isn't a true dog, and is the only
extant species in its
genus Nyctereutes. It is named for its superficial resemblance to the non-canid
raccoon, although individuals living in the Arctic have fur that changes to white so they can blend in with their surroundings.
The Raccoon Dog is native to
China,
Korea,
Japan, and southeastern
Siberia. Average adult head and body length is about 65 cm (2 ft) and weight ranges from 4 to 10 kg (9 to 22 lb). Average litters are large, up to 15 or more pups. Longevity is 3–4 years in the wild and up to 11 years in captivity. It is found in both plains and mountainous regions and is especially common in
woodlands. The Raccoon Dog is commonly seen near
villages and in
rural areas.
Native East Asia Raccoon Dog populations have declined in recent years due to
hunting,
fur trade and
fur trapping,
urbanization, an increase of animals associated with human
civilization such as
pets and abandoned animals, and
diseases that may be
transmitted between them.
Classification and subspecies
There is some debate in the scientific community regarding
speciation between the Siberian subspecies (
N. p. ussuriensis),
Chinese subspecies (
N. p. procyonoides) and the Japanese raccoon dog subspecies (
N. p. viverrinus) in that due to
chromosome,
behavioral and weight differences, the Japanese raccoon dog should be considered a separate species from the two other subspecies.
The five recognized subspecies of the Raccoon Dog are: No negative effects on native fauna have been reported. However, speculation exists that the introduction of the Raccoon Dog to Europe brought with it infected ticks that introduced the Asian
Tick-borne meningoencephalitis virus.
The Raccoon Dog is now abundant throughout
Finland and the
Baltic states, and has been reported as far as
France,
Italy, and
Switzerland.
Cultural significance
The animal carries historical and cultural significance in
Japan, where it's called
tanuki, a term which is also sometimes translated as "badger" and often mistakenly translated into English as "raccoon". Traditionally, different areas of Japan would have different names for raccoon dogs as animals, which would be used to denote different animals in other parts of the country, however the official word in the standard Tokyo dialect is now "tanuki", a term that carries folkloric significance. It is also a common theme in Japanese art, especially statuary.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Raccoon Dog'.
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