Raccoon dog interesting facts. What are the habits of a raccoon dog? Difference between raccoons and raccoon dogs

February 20th, 2009

What do we know about this little animal? Did you know, for example, that a raccoon dog can sing? This is probably the first time you've heard about this...

It's no surprise that we know little about this animal. Indeed, until recently, the raccoon dog lived within our country only in the lower Amur region and the Ussuri region, and was brought to European regions only in the 50s of the last century.

And the real homeland of this animal is the forest and mountainous regions of China, Japan, Indochina and the Korean Peninsula.

From 1927 to 1957, about 10,000 raccoon dogs were brought and released in 76 regions to enrich hunting grounds former USSR. In the Asian part of the country they did not take root, but in the European part they quickly multiplied and began to spread further - including to countries Western Europe, penetrating Finland, Sweden, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany and France.
The northern limit of the raccoon dog's distribution lies in areas where the average annual temperature is above 0°C, the snow cover is about 800 mm, the duration of the snow cover is 175 days and the length of the growing season is 135 days. If winters become milder due to global warming, the raccoon dog may expand its range north. At its maximum, it rises into the mountains to a height of 3000 m above sea level.

It seemed that the expansion of its habitat and acclimatization in the European part, where it subsequently proliferated quite quickly, was beneficial from all sides: the animal’s fur, although rough, but inexpensive and warm, was in demand, survival and ability to adapt to different conditions, as well as fantastic fertility, spoke in favor of the animal’s settlement in Russia and surrounding areas.

But, despite all these advantages, the other side of the coin turned out to be not so attractive. The raccoon dog showed itself to be a real night robber, not sparing anyone on its hunting path, and instead of a new game animal, the hunting grounds received a dangerous, voracious predator, sweeping away everything in its path - small animals, frogs, and any young animals - like birds, and animals that destroy the nests of both terrestrial and waterfowl, game and hunting birds - pheasant, hazel grouse, wood grouse, black grouse and others.

The raccoon dog belongs to the canine family and is the closest relative of the fox. In addition, according to some characteristics, for example, the structure of the skull, the dental system and color hairline, somewhat resembles a raccoon.

In ancient times, furriers called this animal the Ussuri raccoon, apparently reasoning like this: who would buy the fur of a dog, even a raccoon? On Far East The Udeges called the raccoon dog mangut. I remember that the hunters of the Smolensk region, who first saw this animal, found in it similarities with a badger and therefore called it a badger dog.

The raccoon dog is a medium-sized animal. Body length 65-80 centimeters, tail 15-25 centimeters.

Its appearance is very peculiar: its elongated body on short limbs is covered with thick fur, consisting of a long and rather coarse spine, reaching 12 centimeters in length in some parts of the body, and soft, thick down. The beast seems shaggy. The fur on the back is long, hiding the root of the tail, why the body the beast seems even more elongated. The limbs are covered with low and smooth hair, and therefore, from under the long fur hanging down on the sides, they appear even shorter and thinner. On the sides of the head, elongated hair forms large, conspicuous sideburns. The ears are small, black, and only slightly protrude from the fur on the back side. The sharp muzzle of the animal seems to peek out from the thick and long fur.

In winter, the raccoon dog is dirty-brown or yellowish-gray in color with a more or less noticeable black “veil” (this impression is created by the colored tips of the awns). The area around the eyes and part of the sideburns are black, which is especially noticeable in contrast with the lighter color of the rest of the head. It seems that there is a black mask on the beast's face. This pattern to some extent gives the raccoon dog a resemblance to the striped raccoon.

The raccoon dog prefers to settle along the banks of rivers, reservoirs, and even better - in wet meadows with swampy lowlands and in coastal forests with dense undergrowth. Unlike the striped raccoon, which chooses higher housing for itself - in the hollows of old trees, in holes and crevices of rocks - at a height of up to 20-30 meters above the ground - this animal, due to its clumsiness, cannot climb high, and therefore settles lower : in the burrows of badgers and foxes, in the niches of ravines, under the roots of trees, and sometimes, if there is nothing suitable, he digs an ordinary hole for himself - up to 3 m deep, with one or two exits.

Most often, such burrows are located on the slopes of ravines, along the slopes of ditches and the banks of rivers, lakes, and swamps. It can even settle near roads and villages.

This omnivorous predator hunts at dusk and at night, meticulously exploring and combing the most secluded places in search of food - it wanders on land, in the shallow waters of the river, and along the sea coast, with equal success hunting mouse-like rodents and insects, amphibians and birds, fish and reptiles, does not disdain carrion and food waste, eats leaves, stems, seeds, bulbs, rhizomes and fruits of many plants.

It can even dig up dead animals from the ground; it will not refuse dead fish washed ashore. Loves oat grain. Thus, in search of food, an animal can travel up to 7-10 km during the night, unlike a raccoon, which wanders only within a radius of one and a half meters from its shelter.
A raccoon dog can also go swimming to feast on fish - these are excellent and strong swimmers.

In winter, of course, due to the deep snow, animals cannot afford such long treks and walks, as they get very stuck due to their short paws. That is why they try to eat as much as possible over the summer - during this period their weight increases by 2 kg or more, so that in winter they can sleep peacefully - spend the winter in their hole on reserves of subcutaneous fat.

This is the only representative of the canine family that hibernates for the winter. But their sleep is shallow and lasts intermittently. In the shelter they sit out during days of severe frosts, blizzards and snowstorms - sometimes for many days, and in warm winters and thaws the animals usually stay awake - they leave the den and feed nearby. But although raccoon dogs do not undergo real winter hibernation, their metabolic rate during this period decreases by about 25%.

In their burrows and lairs, the animals live in pairs, which form in the fall - in October-November, so the rut, which begins in February-April, is rarely accompanied by fights between males. After all, almost all of them are defined by this time in terms of their “personal life”, and they have absolutely no need, nothing and no one to share with.
Love couples sit quietly in their burrows and admire each other.

Well, and as a result, young lovers have children in the spring - in April-May. Pregnancy in females lasts about 60 days. Most often, the litter consists of 6-7 cubs, but with a nourishing and plentiful diet, 14-16 puppies may appear, which is not uncommon among raccoon dogs, whose fertility depends on their fatness and weather conditions.

Both parents take part in raising and feeding the offspring. Young puppies grow quickly, and by the end of autumn they reach the size of adult animals. They become sexually mature at 8-10 months.

In nature, animals live 3-4 years, in captivity - up to 11 years. The short lifespan in the wild is explained by the fact that this small animal has many enemies. Many of them are destroyed by wolves, lynxes, foxes, stray dogs. In case of danger, the raccoon dog prefers not to fight, but hides, pretending to be dead. Sometimes this helps her avoid death, but often it is her last maneuver.

The raccoon dog plays and occupies an interesting role and significant place in the folklore and life of the Japanese people.
In Japan, people have long lived, for thousands of years, side by side with these cute animals; a whole cult of the “tanuki” - a raccoon dog - has developed. There are legends and fairy tales about the "tanuki", he is kept as a pet at home, one of the varieties of the national Japanese dish - SUSHI - is named after him, and of course - in the Country Rising Sun everyone knows that TANUKI can sing!

Japanese legends attribute strange, mysterious, and sometimes scary properties to them. There are many myths and legends about tanuki.
One at a time folk beliefs the Japanese admire them, feel great affection for them, while others say they are afraid, since, supposedly, these strange and mysterious animals can transform into both human form and ghosts in order to deceive people.

That is why there are so many contradictory opinions about tanuki among the people, and contradictory myths and legends about them. But this beast is constantly present in the life of the Japanese people. Sometimes information about tanuki even appears in news releases.

One of the common characters of legends and “scary” folk tales o tanuki is a servant boy who wanders around houses at night and knocks on doors, pretending to be a sake merchant. Stories tell of him knocking on doors late at night, clutching a ceramic sake bottle. You can expose the impostor only by the tail peeking out from under the dress. And those who cannot do this on time, he may even bite to death.

Surprisingly, these ancient beliefs still live in modern Japan, a country of advanced technology, high-speed trains and skyscrapers. But even despite such horror stories, tanuki invariably evoke special sympathy among the Japanese - perhaps due to their monogamy, their loyalty and devotion to family ties.

“I am not faithful because I am good, but because I am good because I am faithful” - this famous Japanese proverb about marital fidelity clearly reflects priorities national values of the Japanese people, and therefore tanuki, with their expressed devotion to the family and their spouses, with their caring attitude towards each other and children, cannot but deserve respect and love in the Land of the Rising Sun.

And another important, and almost the main advantage (completely unknown to us, by the way) of the raccoon dog in Japan, it turns out, is its beautiful singing! Can you imagine how a dog sings in general? Well, everyone probably imagines how an ordinary dog ​​sings, like ours, for example. Sometimes this may be howling to the radio, playing the piano, accordion or tape recorder. Probably everyone knows about such abilities of our primordial, no less beloved pets.

But the fact of the matter is that the RACCOON DOG sings completely NOT like that...

Here are the myths, legends, and strange mysterious properties attributed to this beast...
Maybe this is where they came from - all these Japanese fairy tales, which really mean that a mysterious animal turns out...

It looks like a beast, a dog, but it sings like a bird and you can hear it: abrupt whistles, trills and roulades, which is why it is kept in many Japanese houses. And therefore, for the Japanese, tanuki are even to some extent a sacred animal.

But the habitat of the legendary, beautiful animal in Japan is gradually undergoing changes. Its numbers are decreasing, and now the tanuki is considered a rare animal there. But, nevertheless, for the Japanese, raccoon dogs are an integral part of the world around them, and most likely, they will remain so forever as long as planet Earth spins.

In their habits, raccoon dogs resemble foxes; in appearance they look like raccoons, but they belong to the canine family; at home, the animals are walked like dogs and are litter trained like cats. Tame raccoon dogs are full of charm and charm, great option for exotic lovers. Let's get to know them better, there are a lot of photos and detailed description raccoon dog, character, maintenance features, choice of puppy and prices.

The raccoon dog is a predatory omnivorous mammal from the canine family, which has many other names: Ussuri raccoon dog, raccoon, Ussuri fox. Natural habitat: Indochina, China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula. In Russia it was found only in the southern part of the Far East.

In the first half of the 20th century, about 100,000 raccoon dogs were released in the Soviet Union to enrich hunting grounds. They did not take root in the Asian area, but in the European area they began to quickly settle and increase the population, penetrating into Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Poland and other countries of Western Europe.

In our area, the raccoon dog is a novelty, you won’t find it in fairy tales, like many other forest inhabitants: a bunny, a fox or a bear, but in Japan people have long lived side by side with raccoon dogs, which are called tanuki. Animals are an integral part of folklore and even children know that tanuki can sing.

The raccoon dog “sings”:

Raccoon dog in nature

Raccoon dogs live mainly in swampy lowlands, along river openings and in riverine forests. They are unpretentious in their choice of housing, they can be content with open beds or crevices in rocks, niches among trees, they occupy the holes of badgers and foxes, and less often they dig out a shelter themselves. They are active at night and at dusk. According to their feeding method, they are typical omnivorous gatherers. They can walk up to 10 km in search of food, swim well, but get stuck in the snow due to their short legs.

The raccoon dog is the only canid that hibernates for 1-3 months in winter. In warm winters he can stay awake, but simply does not leave the house on days of severe frost. Real hibernation, like bears. they do not, but the metabolic rate is reduced to 25%.

In nature, raccoon dogs live in pairs, which they form in late autumn. Therefore, in the spring, with the beginning of the rut, fights are very rare. Pregnancy lasts 2 months. In a litter, 6-7 puppies are usually born, but there can be up to 14. Both parents feed the offspring, and they treat the babies very kindly.

The natural enemies of raccoon dogs are larger predators. In case of danger, animals rarely flee; they pretend to be dead and “come to life” when the danger has passed.

What does a raccoon dog look like?

The raccoon dog is small in size: length is 65-80 cm, and weight ranges from 4-10 kg. In winter, the animal always weighs 2-3 kg more than in summer. The body is stocky, elongated, and the legs are short. The muzzle is decorated with a dark mask. The fur is long, thick and rough to the touch, dark brown in color, lighter in the lower part of the body. Runs along the ridge dark stripe, whiskers on the cheeks are ash-gray. The tail is fluffy and short, up to 25 cm. Albinos are sometimes born.

What is the difference between a raccoon dog and a raccoon?

The raccoon dog and the raccoon are in no way related, and therefore have obvious differences, they even belong to different types: a raccoon belongs to the raccoon family, and a dog belongs to the canids. Externally they are similar in color and size. Both animals are omnivores, and both hibernate in winter.

Animals can be distinguished by several points:

• Raccoons have paws with developed toes, especially the front ones, that are similar to those of humans, while in a raccoon dog they are assembled like those of a canine;
• Raccoon fur is shorter and not as thick;
• Stripes on long tail A raccoon can have up to 10, while a dog's tail is shorter, bushier and not decorated with stripes.

How raccoon dogs became domesticated

Raccoon dogs began to be domesticated in Europe in the 80s and 90s. Exotic lovers liked the habits and intelligence of these animals; they have established themselves as guards and funny pets. However, the intensity of their domestication is low. Most animals are poorly tamed and remain aggressive. In addition, it is recommended to keep a dog that looks like a raccoon outside.

A raccoon dog cannot simply be caught in the wild and trained.

Character

Raccoon dogs are loyal, affectionate, moderately playful, intelligent and not mischievous, but very careful, and can even be cowardly in their behavior. They are very capricious and have their own opinion on everything. Raccoons are trainable and can remember several commands. The character and degree of tameness depends on both the owner and the puppy itself, but even a baby fed and raised from scratch will not become an absolutely domestic animal.

In February-March, during the rut, even very cute and tame creatures can be nervous and aggressive.

Optimal living conditions are in a private home. Some people bring animals into the apartment and set up an enclosure on the balcony, but in this case they will have to provide good walking and take into account several negative aspects.

The raccoon dog itself has no odor, or rather has a specific sweetish aroma, and its feces smell quite sharp and unpleasant.

Even if the dog goes to the litter box, its presence in the house is felt. Both females and males mark their territory; their marks are even more Strong smell. Only early castration/sterilization will help get rid of the problem. Accessories and enclosures are the same as for dogs small breeds. A raccoon dog is relatively inexpensive, and the cost of keeping it is about the same as average dog. At home, the animal does not hibernate, but may not leave the booth in severe frosts.

It is difficult to say anything in advance about cohabitation with other animals. They often get along well with dogs and play together. Relationships with cats are worse, and small rodents and birds will most likely be regarded by the animal as potential prey.

Caring for a raccoon dog is not difficult. During the molting period, it is advisable to comb the coat to speed up hair change and maintain neat hair. appearance. In nature, dogs rub against branches and roots to get rid of excess hair. Bathed infrequently, as needed.

Video about keeping raccoon dogs:

What to feed a raccoon dog

Raccoon dogs are omnivorous animals. In nature, their diet consists of insects, small reptiles and rodents, a smaller part is allocated plant foods, if they manage to find a nest, they will happily feast on eggs or chicks. They willingly feed in garbage dumps and destroy vegetable gardens. At home, raccoons feel great eating premium or class dry food for dogs. Some owners prefer natural food: give meat and cook porridge with minced meat, adding various vegetables to it. Be sure to supplement the diet with vitamin and mineral supplements, especially during the period of active growth of children, when there is a possibility of developing rickets.

Health and life expectancy

In nature, animals usually live no more than 5 years. In addition to natural enemies, epizootics of piroplasmosis lead to mass mortality. At home, a raccoon dog can live up to 10 years or more. Upon reaching one year old the animal must be vaccinated against rabies and leptospirosis, making the appropriate note in veterinary passport. Some owners use regular dog complexes for vaccination. It is currently unknown whether such a vaccination is justified.

Raccoons at good care and being kept practically do not get sick. But before you get a raccoon, you should make sure that there is a competent veterinarian within reach who will be able to provide assistance to your exotic pet.

Choosing a puppy and price

If you dream of a cute, playful and easy-to-maintain animal, you urgently need to talk with the owners of these creatures, who, without the desire to embellish and sell poached babies, will tell you about the pros and cons of the pet. If you have weighed the pros and cons, and have firmly decided to connect your life with this animal for the next 10 years, then you can safely start looking for puppies from domestic parents.

It is better to buy a baby from the so-called domestic parents, whom you can see, evaluate their character and “domestication”. Puppies from a kennel and puppies from pet parents are not always the same thing. Often nurseries are fur farms, and the animals may have health problems. In addition, from the first days of life it is important for a puppy to communicate with a person. Attempts to buy puppies online often end sadly.

If you come across an advertisement for the sale of a raccoon dog very cheaply, it is likely that this is an adult animal from wildlife, which hunters sell for baiting dogs.

Puppies at the age of 2 months are usually affectionate and tame, but after a few weeks they will begin to show character; it will take a lot of knowledge and patience to raise and train them. Raccoon dogs are not tame from birth. And of course, you need to make sure that the kids grew up in good conditions, outwardly look healthy and well-groomed, different good appetite, affectionate and friendly disposition, not shy or aggressive.

The price of a raccoon dog puppy from domestic parents is 7,000-10,000 rubles. Wild foundlings can cost up to 5,000 rubles.

Photos

Raccoon dog in the photo:

The raccoon is an extremely funny animal. At the beginning of the 20th century, zoologist Alfred Brehm described these curious animals as follows: “In terms of mental makeup, the raccoon is somewhat like a monkey: it is also cheerful, lively, brave on occasion, and when tracking down prey, it is cunning, like a fox, it eats everything, from plants to fish and crabs, which he catches from the water. He also likes to carry domestic chickens.”

Raccoons are predators (raccoon family). The most famous and widespread species is the striped raccoon. The weight and size of a raccoon are akin to a small barrel: the body reaches up to 65 cm in length, weight up to 10 kg. Typically, females are smaller than males. The raccoon has many teeth (from 31 to 46), their length reaches several centimeters. The raccoon is omnivorous; it readily eats berries, worms, insects, frogs, and small rodents. Because of their gluttony, many raccoons settle near humans in search of scraps in landfills and garbage dumps. It is not uncommon for impudent raccoons to sneak not only into courtyards, but also into the houses themselves, in search of food.

The homeland of raccoons is North and Central America. At the beginning of the 20th century, due to their valuable fur, these animals began to be bred on other continents. Today, striped raccoons live in some European countries and in the European part of Russia. Life expectancy of raccoons natural environment- up to 10 years, tamed raccoons longer - up to 15 years. Read more about domestic raccoons.

Do you know that:

• Raccoons are excellent climbers of trees, including horizontal branches (like monkeys or sloths). Movable feet hind legs can rotate almost 180 degrees.
• When in danger, raccoons pretend to be dead.
• Raccoon paws are akin to human hands- with thin fingers. The raccoon's tenacious fingers easily grab all kinds of objects.
• Male raccoons separate from their mother early and, as a rule, live separately. A meeting with a relative in the forest often does not please the animal. Usually, after a short snort at each other, the raccoons disperse without bringing the situation to a fight. However, in places where there is enough food (for example, a garbage dump near a restaurant), raccoons do not conflict.
• Try to lift the raccoon off the ground and it will quickly bite you (for example, pick you up). And if he doesn’t bite, he will fight back and snort.

Difference between raccoons and raccoon dogs

Due to the external similarity, these animals are often confused, despite the fact that in the classification of animals they belong to different families. The raccoon dog is a canid, the raccoon is a raccoon. Because of their cute appearance, raccoons have earned a cheerful reputation and have become the subject of numerous funny pictures with captions. The raccoon dog, on the contrary, does not have the most positive image - in Japanese mythology it is a werewolf dog.

The raccoon dog is a genus of carnivorous mammals that is part of the canine family. At the moment, the genus consists of only one species, but in the past it was more diverse. There are six subspecies of raccoon dog in the world fauna.

The natural habitat of this predator is Northeastern Indochina, China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula. On the territory of Russia, it could initially be found only in the Ussuri region and in the south of the Amur region. In the first half of the last century, approximately 10,000 raccoon dogs were exported to 76 regions of the USSR. In the European part, dogs quickly multiplied and penetrated into the territory of Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany and France.

The raccoon dog prefers to settle along the banks of rivers and reservoirs, ideally in wet, swampy meadows and in dense coastal undergrowth. Due to its clumsiness, the predator is not able to climb to great heights and therefore it makes its lair in badger and fox holes, in niches in ravines and under tree roots. In the absence of suitable shelter, a raccoon dog can dig a hole itself. It is worth noting that the animal’s shelters can be located near roads and villages.

The raccoon dog is especially active at dusk and at night. She is an excellent swimmer and can travel tens of kilometers in search of food, but she cannot run fast. This quiet and leisurely animal is not aggressive and does not particularly resist when attacked by stronger predators.

How to protect yourself from a raccoon dog bite

As a rule, raccoon dogs do not attack humans. Therefore, avoiding their bites is quite simple.

Firstly, never go into a fox or badger hole, there is a high risk of meeting a raccoon dog there.

Secondly, do not approach a female with cubs. The mother, in an attempt to protect her offspring, presents increased danger for a person.

Third, do not attack a raccoon dog, unless, of course, you are a professional hunter.

Fourthly, when spending the night in nature, place the tent away from the rookeries of wild animals, their watering places and trails.

Fifthly, in dark time light a fire for days. Its flame and smoke repel almost all predatory mammals, including raccoon dogs.

Sixth, have special repellents on hand to repel animals. As an alternative, you can use products with a strong smell, for example, regular deodorant, which can be sprayed around the perimeter of the tent.

Seventh, do not forget that a raccoon dog with rabies often hides and lies motionless. Do not touch such an animal, do not put it in the trunk, do not bring it home or try to feed it.

Eighth, having seen a raccoon dog on summer cottage, in the village or just in nature, do not fall into emotion, do not take her in your arms, but quickly leave. Inappropriate behavior of a predator may indicate that it is infected with rabies.

Ninth, do not try to take a raccoon dog to the “infirmary” or shelter, but leave it at home. This is fraught dangerous consequences, stated above.

Ninth, remember that a raccoon dog often bites a person when he, having hit it with a stick, comes up to check if it is dead.

Tenth, when you meet an animal, stop without sudden movements, without turning your back to him, move away to a safe distance.

Eleventh, be especially careful in autumn and winter and in early spring. This season is the most favorable conditions for the spread of the rabies virus.

What are the consequences of a raccoon dog bite?

Like all canids, the raccoon dog has large, sharp canines and well-developed carnassial teeth. She has strong upper canines with a cutting edge on the back side and unsharp vertical ribbing on the sides. A raccoon dog bite has jagged edges and can damage blood vessels and tendons.

However, the greatest danger is the possibility of human infection by pathogens of dangerous diseases that also affect raccoon dogs. Let's look at some of them.

Rabies virus

Rabies is viral disease which amazes nervous system animals and humans. Absence preventive vaccinations in humans it is almost always fatal.

Echinococcus tapeworm

If you are able to move around and have access to a running water faucet quickly, do the following.

1. Rinse the bitten area with 20% soap solution, which is prepared from 1 piece of toilet soap or a third of laundry soap and two glasses of water. Laundry soap is a more preferable option, because the alkali in its composition effectively resists the rabies virus. Rinse a shallow wound for 5-10 minutes, a deep wound for 10-15 minutes.

2. Apply antibacterial ointment to a shallow wound. Treat the skin around a deep wound ethyl alcohol or iodine. This will prevent the development of the infectious process.

3. Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.

4. After finishing pre-treatment of the wound, go to the emergency room. Only a specialist can properly treat the bite and decide whether you need rabies vaccination and tetanus prophylaxis.

Interesting facts about raccoon dogs and their bites

• During the period from 2001 to 2008, a total of 561 cases of rabies in raccoon dogs were recorded in Belarus.
• A raccoon dog, as a spreader of rabies, is much more dangerous than even a wolf.
• Classic Japanese werebeasts are traditionally depicted as a raccoon dog.

The raccoon dogs moved to the zoo from the Altai Children's Environmental Center in 2009. Sharik and Shima, as one of our visitors said, are the most positive guys! They are not distinguished from others by either a special history of appearance or peculiarities in behavior, but their cute faces and sparkling coal eyes make you smile and give a lot of positive emotions.

About the type of animal

Raccoon (Ussuri) dogs, as is clear from the name of the species, look very similar small dogs: small strong body, short legs, weight varies within 10 kilograms.

Distinctive features of raccoon dogs:

• Interesting muzzle color - this predator can easily be confused with a striped raccoon.
• Long thick dark fur.
• Elegant grayish sideburns.
• The raccoon dog is the only animal of the family that goes into a kind of hibernation in winter.
• These predators are omnivores and prefer to eat rodents, nuts, grains and fruits.

To live, raccoon dogs choose places with high humidity and live in wetlands or near rivers. If danger arises and the need to hide somewhere, a predator without a twinge of conscience can occupy the hole of a fox or badger.

The raccoon dog is mostly a nocturnal animal. To obtain food, it hunts and gathers.

By the way, the raccoon dog is the only representative of the family that prefers to pretend to be dead in case of danger.

These predators are monogamous and live in pairs quite for a long time. As a result of mating unions, from 6 to 16 puppies are born, depending on the health of the female and living conditions. IN natural conditions Raccoon dogs live about 4 years, in captivity - up to 11 years.

Interesting facts about raccoon dogs:

• In Japan, the raccoon dog (tanuki) is one of the characters in national mythology.
• These animals raise their offspring together: if for some reason the male leaves the family, the cubs usually do not survive.
• Raccoon dogs are excellent swimmers.