Raccoon dog in the wild and at home

Raccoon dog until the 30-ies of the twentieth century was unknown in the European part of Russia. Its natural habitat is Japan, mountainous and forest regions of China, Korean Peninsula. In the Asian part of Russia, these animals have long inhabited the Ussuri region and the Amur region. There they were called "Ussuriyskie raccoons" because of their external similarity to the animal-poloskunom. In the 1930s, the Soviet authorities decided to bring ten thousand individuals of this fur-bearing beast to 76 regions and republics of the former USSR to replenish hunting areas with fur producers. Ussuriysk inhabitants showed excellent ability to adapt to new climatic conditions, and now they are spread "to the very outskirts" of the once great country.

But the business executives of the USSR did not even suspect that they would receive a dangerous, insidious predator in a package with an industrial fur animal. Raccoon dog, possessing, in addition to adaptability, also monstrous fertility, soon became the most common plunderer of chicken coops. In pursuit of food, she does not disdain anything: she eats any young, ravages bird nests, kills small mammals, eats frogs, insects, lizards, fish, and does not disdain to scavenge (sometimes even breaks shallow graves).

Recently in Ukraine, a furore "Chupacabra" - an unknown creature that ruined bird farms in the Kirovograd region. It acted cunningly and at the same time confidently - in broad daylight the bird was carried away right from under the masters' nose, at one stroke jumping over a two-meter fence. So, the raider of the chicken coops eventually turned out to be a raccoon dog.

Despite the external similarity, there is no related relationship between the two animal species. They have almost the same coat color - dark brown, with characteristic longitudinal stripes on the back. But the raccoon's fur is softer and more delicate, besides, it has clearly visible horizontal stripes on the tail, whereas the representative of the dog's tail is monophonic.

Being slightly smaller than a fox, a raccoon dog has a stocky, tightly knit body with short paws and a small head. Muzzle - pointy, ears - small. Characteristic for the striped "mask" on the muzzle is inherent and raccoon dog, only it is framed by wide black whiskers. Since these animals belong to the dogs, the method of hunting for them is like that of a wolf, who, as is known, is fed with legs. In search of prey, the animal can pass 7-10 km, while the raccoon never leaves its burrow farther than a kilometer. However, the short legs of the taiga guest prevent him from hunting in the winter, during deep snows. Therefore, these animals are also unique in that the only of all dogs fall into hibernation. However, their dream is sensitive: in a thaw they wake up and go hunting, and with frost they fall asleep again.

Raccoon dogs are very caring parents and faithful spouses. They form a family in the fall, mate at the end of winter, and puppies are born in March-April. Litter consisting of 6-7 calves (and in conditions of abundant nutrition and 14-16), both parents are fattening. Young growth by the end of autumn becomes independent and reaches sexual maturity at the 9th month of life. In the wild, animals live not long, on average about 5 years, because in our forests they have many enemies: lynx, wolves, foxes, stray dogs. Mow the livestock of animals and epizootics of rabies and pyroplasmosis.

And how much does a raccoon dog live at home? It turns out that she is able to live up to 13 years. In Japan these animals were tamed for a long time, and they so firmly entered the everyday life of the population that there was a real cult of tanuki (this is the name of the animal in Japan). In the Land of the Rising Sun, fidelity and fondness for a raccoon dog are very much appreciated. She is kept as an ordinary medium-sized dog, on the plot and even in the house. They are excellent watchdogs, because they have good hearing. In Europe, they have been tamed since the 90s of last century. However, these animals can be aggressive, and in general, they are terrible finishes. If you do not want tanuki to sleep under your blanket, he needs to build a booth. And raccoon dogs can sing. Not the same as "sing" ordinary dogs, but really: they bring out whole roulades and trills, light whistles, in a word, not a beast, but a nightingale!