Raccoon Dog

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Neoguri" redirects here. For the tropical storm, see Typhoon Neoguri (2008).
Raccoon Dog[1]

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Nyctereutes
Species: N. procyonoides
Binomial name
Nyctereutes procyonoides
(Gray, 1834)

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 is not 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.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] 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.[3]

The five recognized subspecies of the Raccoon Dog are:[1]

A Raccoon Dog in a zoo
A Raccoon Dog in a zoo

[edit] Behavior

Like many other canids, it is omnivorous. However, its diet is atypically diverse, consisting of invertebrates, frogs, lizards, rodents and birds along with seeds and berries. Those living near the ocean will also eat crabs and scavenged marine life.

The Raccoon Dog is secretive and not very aggressive; it prefers to hide or scream rather than fight, and plays dead to avoid animals that will eat them. It is monogamous; some fights occur between males for the females. Mating season begins when the Raccoon Dog emerges from its winter den. The female is in heat for about six days. The baculum tie in coitus lasts about 6 minutes, less than in other canids. When the cubs are born after a gestation of about 60 days, the male will assist in cub-rearing, first by providing food to his mate and then also caring for the cubs when they are weaned, about 50 days after birth, while the mother gathers food. Raccoon Dog pups continue to nurse even after they begin eating solid food. They aren't weaned until eight weeks of age, later than any other canid. They become physically and sexually mature after one year.

The Raccoon Dog is the only canid to go into torpor through the cold months. It is also unusual in that its curved claws enable it to climb trees; the only other canid with this ability is the Gray Fox. It does not bark and it turns its tail into an inverted U to express dominance. The Raccoon Dog's teeth are small for a canid.

[edit] Introduction in Europe

Between 1929 and 1955, the N. p. ussuriensis subspecies were introduced to the European part of the Soviet Union as potential fur or game animals and have spread rapidly since. In 1948, 35 Raccoon Dogs were introduced in Latvia. The population increased rapidly. In 1960 Latvia officially reported that a total of 4210 Raccoon Dogs were hunted.[4] 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.[5]

The Raccoon Dog is now abundant throughout Finland and the Baltic states, and has been reported as far as France, Italy,[6] and Switzerland.[7]

[edit] Cultural significance

Main article: Tanuki

The animal carries historical and cultural significance in Japan, where it is 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.

[edit] Use for fur

An investigation by three animal protection groups into the Chinese fur trade in 2004 and part of 2005 asserts that approximately 1.5 million raccoon dogs are being raised for fur in China.[8] The Raccoon Dog comprises 11% of all animals hunted in Japan.[9] Twenty percent of domestically produced fur in Russia is from the Raccoon Dog.[10]

On April 24, 2008, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) filed a false advertising complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission alleging that at least 20 retailers in the US have been mislabeling Raccoon Dog fur. According to HSUS, 70% of fur garments they tested were Raccoon Dog but were mislabeled as faux fur, Coyote, rabbit or other animals.[11]


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Wozencraft, W. C. (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Sillero-Zubiri, C. & Hoffmann, M. (2004). Nyctereutes procyonoides. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2007. Retrieved on 06 May 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  3. ^ K. Kauhala. 1994. The Raccoon Dog: a successful canid[1]
  4. ^ Miervaldis Bušs, Jānis Vanags "Latvijas Meži" 1987. Latvia. Article: Medību saimniecība.
  5. ^ Interview with Vilnis Bernards, chairmen of Division of Species and Habitats Protection in Ministry of Environment[2]
  6. ^ K. Kauhala. 1994. The Raccoon Dog: a successful canid[3]
  7. ^ F. Zimmermann (2004). Monitoring der Raubtiere in der Schweiz 2004. KORA Bericht Nr. 29. Coordinated research projects for the conservation and management of carnivores in Switzerland. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
  8. ^ http://www.careforthewild.com/files/Furreport05.pdf
  9. ^ Quality of the Environment in Japan 1995 [MOE]
  10. ^ http://www.traffic.org/content/293.pdf
  11. ^ HSUS Files New Fur False Advertising Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
 This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations.
You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Wikispecies has information related to: