The common raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), also called the Chinese or Asian raccoon dog to distinguish it from the Japanese raccoon dog, is a heavy-set, fox-like canid native to East Asia. Named for its raccoon-like face markings, it is most closely related to foxes. Common raccoon dogs feed on many animals and plant matter, and are unusual among canids (dogs, foxes, and other members of the family Canidae) in that they hibernate during cold winters and can climb trees. They are widespread in their native range, and are invasive in Europe where they were introduced for the fur trade. The similar Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes viverrinus, the tanuki), native to Japan, is the only other living member of the genus Nyctereutes.
The closest relatives of the common raccoon dogs are the true foxes, not the raccoon, which is one of the musteloids, and not closely related. Among the Canidae, the common raccoon dog shares the habit of regularly climbing trees only with the North American gray fox, which is neither a true fox nor a close relative of the common raccoon dog.
Due to the fur trade, the common raccoon dog has been widely introduced in Europe, where it has been treated as a potentially hazardous invasive species. In Scandinavia, it is called "marten-dog" (, Norwegian and Danish: ). This implies that this species cannot be imported, bred, transported, commercialized, or intentionally released into the environment in the whole of the European Union.
Description
left|thumb|upright|Raccoon dog skull.
Common raccoon dog skulls greatly resemble those of South American foxes, particularly crab-eating foxes, though genetic studies reveal they are not closely related. Their skulls are small, but sturdily built and moderately elongated, with narrow zygomatic arches. The projections of the skull are well-developed, with the sagittal crest being particularly prominent in old animals.
Reflecting their omnivorous diets, common raccoon dogs have small and weak canines and carnassials, flat molars, and relatively long intestines – (1.5–2.0 times longer than other canids). They have long torsos and short legs. Total lengths can range from . The tail, at long, is short, amounting to less than a third of the animal's total length and hangs below the tarsal joints without touching the ground. The ears are short and protrude only slightly from the fur.
Weights fluctuate according to season: in March they weigh , while in August to early September males average , with some individuals attaining a maximal weight of . Specimens from Japanese and Russian studies have been shown to be on average larger than those from Chinese studies.
thumb|upright=1.15|left|The distinctly raccoon-like markings of a raccoon dog's face.
The winter fur is long and thick with dense underfur and coarse guard hairs measuring in length. The winter fur protects common raccoon dogs from low temperatures ranging down to . It is of a dirty, earth-brown, or brownish-grey colour with black guard hairs. The tail is darker than the torso. A dark stripe is present on the back, which broadens on the shoulders, forming a cross shape. The abdomen is yellowish-brown, while the chest is dark brown or blackish. The muzzle is covered in short hair, which increases in length and quantity behind the eyes. The cheeks are coated with long, whiskery hairs. The summer fur is brighter and reddish straw-coloured. They can also come in a yellow colour.
Ecology
Diet
Common raccoon dogs are omnivores that feed on insects, rodents, amphibians, birds, fish, reptiles, mollusks, crabs, sea urchins, human garbage, carrion, and eggs, as well as fruits, nuts, and berries. Among the rodents targeted by common raccoon dogs, voles seem to predominate in swampy areas, but are replaced with gerbils in flatland areas such as Astrakhan. Frogs are the most commonly taken amphibians; in the Voronezh region, they frequently eat fire-bellied toads, while European spadefoot toads are usually taken in Ukraine. Common raccoon dogs are able to eat toads that have toxic skin secretions by producing copious amounts of saliva to dilute the toxins. They prey on waterfowl, passerines, and migrating birds. Grouse are commonly hunted in their introduced range, and many instances of pheasant predation are recorded in the Ussuri territory.
Common raccoon dogs eat beached fish and fish trapped in small water bodies. They rarely catch fish during the spawning season, but eat many during the spring thaw. In their southern range, they eat young tortoises and their eggs. Insectivorous mammals hunted by common raccoon dogs include shrews, hedgehogs, and, on rare occasions, moles and desmans. In the Ussuri territory, large moles are their primary source of food. Plant food is highly variable, and includes bulbs, rhizomes, oats, millets, maize, nuts, fruits, berries, grapes, melons, watermelons, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Estrus lasts from a few hours to six days, during which females may mate up to five times. Females enter estrus again after 20–24 days, even when pregnant.
The gestation period lasts 61–70 days, with pups being born in April–May. Litter sizes typically consist of 6–8 pups, though 15–16 pups can be born in exceptional cases. First-time mothers typically give birth to fewer pups than older ones. Males take an active role in raising the pups.
At birth, pups weigh , and are blind and covered in short, dense, soft wool lacking guard hairs. Their eyes open after 9–10 days, with the teeth erupting after 14–16 days. Guard hairs begin to grow after 10 days, and first appear on the hips and shoulders. After two weeks, they lighten in colour, with black tones remaining only around the eyes. Lactation lasts for 45–60 days, though pups begin eating food brought to them as early as the age of three weeks to one month. They reach their full size at the age of 4.5 months. Pups leave their parents in late August–September. By October, the pups, which by then resemble adults, unite in pairs. Sexual maturity is reached at 8–10 months. Their longevity is largely unknown; animals 6–7 years of age have been encountered in the wild, while captive specimens have been known to live for 11 years. four subspecies are recognised by MSW3:
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#115a6c;"
!Subspecies
!Trinomial authority
!Description
!Range
!Synonyms
|-
|Chinese raccoon dog<br />N. p. procyonoides<br />Nominate subspecies
150 px
|1834, Gray
|
|Eastern China
|<small>kalininensis (Sorokin, 1958)</small><br /><small>sinensis (Brass, 1904)</small><br /><small>stegmanni (Matschie, 1907)</small>
|-
|Korean raccoon dog<br />N. p. koreensis
150 px
|1922, Mori
|
|Korean Peninsula
|
|-
|Yunnan raccoon dog<br />N. p. orestes
|1923, Thomas
|
|Southeastern China, northern Vietnam
|
|-
|Ussuri raccoon dog<br />N. p. ussuriensis
150 px
|1907, Matschie
|Distinguished from N. p. procyonoides by its larger size and denser, longer hair.
The common raccoon dog is now abundant throughout Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and has been reported as far away as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Moldova.
In response, Denmark set a goal of zero breeding for common raccoon dogs by 2015. However, by 2018, it had become fully established in Jutland (the mainland of Denmark, directly connected to Germany), with further projects mainly aimed at limiting or preventing its spread on the Danish islands.
In June 2021, a study commissioned by the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs identified the common raccoon dog as one of 20 invasive species likely to spread to the UK.
Diseases and parasites
Coronaviruses
A virus similar to SARS-CoV was isolated from Himalayan palm civets (Paguma larvata), a common raccoon dog, and humans working in a live-animal market in Guangdong, China in May 2003.
Common raccoon dogs, as well as Himalayan palm civets, were originally believed to be the natural reservoirs of severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus (SARS). However, genetic analysis has since convinced most experts that bats are the natural hosts. Raccoon dogs were most likely only transient accidental hosts.
According to German virologist Christian Drosten, the common raccoon dog is the most likely intermediate host for transmission of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 to humans, as common raccoon dogs are bred in China in fur farming.
An early locus of COVID-19 transmission was the Huanan live animal market, and even before the pandemic, the place was identified as a likely site for zoonosis (diseases hopping to humans from other species). There were over a thousand common raccoon dogs for sale in the market, and about nine thousand other animals. Common raccoon dogs are known to be able to catch and spread COVID-19 easily. and the animals were removed before public-health authorities from the Chinese Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention arrived at the site.
Some Chinese researchers had published a preprint analysis of these samples in February 2022, concluding that the coronavirus in the samples had likely been brought in by humans, not the animals on sale,
Cases of common raccoon dogs carrying rabies are known from the lower Volga, Voronezh, and Lithuania.
Arthropods
Ticks include Dermacentor pictus, Ixodes ricinus, I. persulcatus, I. crenulatus, and Acarus siro. Generally, the quality of the pelt is based on the silkiness of the fur, as its physical appeal depends upon the guard hairs being erect, which is only possible in silkier furs. Small common raccoon dog pelts with silky fur command higher prices than large, coarse-furred ones. Due to their long and coarse guard hairs and their woolly fur fibre, which has a tendency to felt or mat, common raccoon dog pelts are used almost exclusively for fur trimmings. Japanese raccoon dog pelts, though smaller than other geographic variants, are the most valued variety, with specimens from Amur and Heilongjiang coming close behind, while Korean and southern Chinese are the least valued. When raised in captivity, common raccoon dogs can produce of wool of slightly lesser quality than that of goats. The common raccoon dog comprises 11% of all animals hunted in Japan. Twenty percent of domestically produced fur in Russia is from the common raccoon dog.
Misrepresentation as artificial fur
In several widely publicized incidents, clothing advertised and sold as having synthetic faux fur, were documented as actually containing real fur from common raccoon dogs.
On 22 December 2006, MSNBC reported Macy's had pulled from its shelves and its website two styles of Sean John hooded jackets, originally advertised as featuring faux fur, after an investigation concluded garments were actually made from common raccoon dog.
On 24 April 2008, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) filed a false-advertising complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission alleging at least 20 retailers in the U.S. had been mislabeling common raccoon dog fur. They assert 70% of fur garments they tested were common raccoon dog, but were mislabeled as faux fur, coyote, rabbit, or other animals. In December 2009, Lord & Taylor announced new regulations banning the sale of common raccoon dog fur in its stores.
On 19 March 2013, three U.S. retailers settled lawsuits with the U.S. government following an investigation that confirmed they had been selling common raccoon dog fur, but labeling it as fake ('faux') fur. Neiman Marcus, DrJays.com, and Eminent (Revolve Clothing) reached settlements with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that do not incur financial penalties unless they mislabel the fur again.
On 19 September 2014, the HSUS announced Kohl's had been selling common raccoon dog fur as faux fur.
See also
- Raccoon in Japan
References
Further reading
- .
External links
- Raccoon Dog—detailed authoritative article on the website of The Canid Specialist Group (CSG) of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- A track of Raccoon dog's introduction in Europe on GPSed.com—a long way to Europe
- World Conservation Union—article on raccoon dogs
- Animal Planet—basic information, image