RACCOON DOG
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(Redirected from Raccoon dog)
The 'Raccoon Dog' (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'' "nycto-" = Gr. "night," "ereutes" = Gr. "wanderer," "procyon" = "raccoon," "-oides" = Gr. "-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. 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 (see tanuki). It is also a common theme in Japanese art, especially statuary.
Raccoon Dogs are native to Japan, southeastern Siberia and Manchuria. Between 1929 and 1955, they were introduced to the European part of the Soviet Union and have spread rapidly since. They are now abundant throughout Scandinavia and the Baltic states, and have been reported as far as France and Italy[1]. 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 consist of 5 pups. Longevity is 3–4 years in the wild and up to 11 years in captivity. They are found in both plains and mountainous regions and are especially common in woodlands. Raccoon Dogs are commonly seen near villages and in rural areas.
Raccoon Dog populations have declined in recent years due to hunting, fur trade [2] 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.
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[3], behavioral and weight differences, the Japanese Raccoon Dog should be considered a separate species from the two other subspecies. Lately scientists and authorities are questioning over "artificial fur coats" and if there is a possibility that they are really made out of Raccoon dog fur.
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis'' Mori, 1922 found in Korea
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides orestes'' Thomas, 1923 found in Yunnan (China)
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides ussuriensis'' Matschie, 1907 found in South Siberia (Russia)
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus'' Temminck, 1838 found in Japan
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides albus'' Beard, 1904 found in HokkaidÅ (Japan)
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides'' Temminck, 1838 found in the rest of Asia
Like many other dogs, they are omnivorous. However, their diets are 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.
Raccoon Dogs are secretive and not very aggressive; they prefer to hide or scream rather than fight, and play dead to avoid animals that will eat them. They are monogamous; some fights occur between males for the females. Mating season begins when Raccoon Dogs emerge from their homes. 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 for the cubs when they are weaned, about 50 days after birth. The little raccoon dogs are physically and sexually mature after 1 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.
An investigation [4]by three animal protection groups into the Chinese fur trade in 2004 and part of 2005 asserts that there are an estimated 1.5 million raccoon dogs being raised for fur in China. The report claims that killing methods include first hitting the animals on the head with a stick or slamming the animal into the ground to stun them, but that "a significant number of animals remain fully conscious during the skinning process and started to writhe and move around." [5] Video taken during the investigation [6] shows a raccoon dog apparently conscious during and after the skinning process. A 2005 follow-up article by the Beijing News [7] reports: "On this particular day around half the raccoon dogs and foxes were skinned alive like this."
On 22 December 2006, fur-hooded jackets made by the Sean John clothing company were pulled off the shelves of Macy's Department Stores when the nation’s largest animal protection organization concluded that the garments were actually made from raccoon dog. Previously advertised as a faux fur product, they were later identified. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, added that the issue is an “industry-wide problem†and its investigation demonstrated that retailers and designers “aren’t paying close enough attention to the fur trim they are selling.â€[8]
The Chinese government denies that the country's fur farming methods are cruel, and has even suggested that some of the videos have even been staged, as no further evidence of where the videos were shot has been forthcoming.[9]
The Raccoon dog is found in the wild throughout Northern Europe and Asia, and has spread perhaps largely due to the fact that it is valued for its fur by a variety of native peoples, and also by the Western fur trade; in European fur farming, it is known as the Finn Raccoon. [10]
A recent EEC report into the fur trade reported that fur farming in the West has high welfare standards. [11] This evidence was tampered with to such an extent that the top welfare scientists involved have felt compelled to publish this report, saying that their findings had been "politicised".
As far as the raccoon dog, and many other native species such as sable and fox, are concerned, it is claimed by both the trade and academic and conservation sources that fur trade does help protect the habitat of these animals. [12] The University of South Dakota is among those concerned by criticism of the fur trade in terms of conservation.[13]
Many Siberian tribes rely totally for income on fur trade; and 80% of furs are products of the Boreal forest region; up to 22% is native produce, and huge economic damage has been inflicted on native economies by the animal rights movement. [14] [15]
Krasnoyarsk in Evenkyia is just one of the fur producing areas with a large native involvement, and though there are no figures for Raccoon dog, the area produces up to a million animal fur pelts annually in an area where the raccoon dog is indigenous. [16]
With a gene pool of 1.5 million animals claimed above, the raccoon dog is not endangered. A far greater threat in Siberia may be habitat destruction ([17]) and disease probably from dogs of workers settling there in communist period; certainly distemper is a transferable disease : [[18]].
A further source for specific clash between oil exploration and habitat destruction versus traditional use is here; [19].
In undisturbed areas where the animals are hunted for fur (worth noting that the Evenk tribes also have fur farms) they are abundant; in Japan for example the 40,000 to 70,000 raccoon dog hunted for their fur are part of a strict wildlife management plan that enables a healthy population, which is as a result classified as common there. [20]
The WWF have fostered areas of traditional hunting use in Siberia, which have been called sable reserves as the local people are so reliant on the sable (but also fox and raccoon dog which is indigenous) for both food and income from sale of fur. [21]
This detailed study of traditional use in Russia gives an important perspective on economic and ecological factors in the regions fur trade; raccoon dog is an important part.
[22]
1. K. Kauhala. 1994. The Raccoon Dog: a successful canid[1]
★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is of concern
★
★ The character Hachiemon from the popular T.V series ''InuYasha''.
★ 1http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061222/ap_on_bi_ge/macy_s_dog_fur_1
★ Article: "Sean John jackets were made with dog fur", 22 December 2006, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16329355/?GT1=8816.
★ Fun Fur: A Report on the Chinese Fur Industry by Hsieh-Yi, Yi-Chiao, Yu Fu, Mark Rissi and Dr Barbara Maas. Swiss Animal Protection, Care for the Wild International, East International. [23]
★ Fun Fur: A Film by Mark Rissi [24]
★ The Slaughter behind 200-million-yuan Revenue from Fur. The Beijing News. Translation.[25]
★ World Conservation Union - article on raccoon dogs
★ America Zoo - basic info, one image
★ Lioncrusher's Domain - detailed information, image
★ canids.org - technical and conservation information
★ Lauri Sippu's page - many images
★ BBC - very basic information with images
★ Animal Planet - basic information, image
★ Foundation TV's "Brilliant Creatures" - a pair of on-camera raccoon dogs
★ Nyctereutes abdeslami - information on another extinct species of its genus
★ http://www.hsus.org/furfree/news/sean_john_diddy_combs_mislabeled_fur.html Humane Society of the United States investigation page about Sean John raccoon dog fur jacket.
★ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=12712 Jay-Z Caught Up in Faux Fur Fraud
The 'Raccoon Dog' (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'' "nycto-" = Gr. "night," "ereutes" = Gr. "wanderer," "procyon" = "raccoon," "-oides" = Gr. "-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. 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 (see tanuki). It is also a common theme in Japanese art, especially statuary.
Raccoon Dogs are native to Japan, southeastern Siberia and Manchuria. Between 1929 and 1955, they were introduced to the European part of the Soviet Union and have spread rapidly since. They are now abundant throughout Scandinavia and the Baltic states, and have been reported as far as France and Italy[1]. 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 consist of 5 pups. Longevity is 3–4 years in the wild and up to 11 years in captivity. They are found in both plains and mountainous regions and are especially common in woodlands. Raccoon Dogs are commonly seen near villages and in rural areas.
Raccoon Dog populations have declined in recent years due to hunting, fur trade [2] 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.
| Contents |
| Classification |
| Subspecies |
| Behavior |
| Use for fur |
| Sean John Incident |
| Another perspective |
| References |
| External links |
Classification
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[3], behavioral and weight differences, the Japanese Raccoon Dog should be considered a separate species from the two other subspecies. Lately scientists and authorities are questioning over "artificial fur coats" and if there is a possibility that they are really made out of Raccoon dog fur.
Subspecies
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis'' Mori, 1922 found in Korea
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides orestes'' Thomas, 1923 found in Yunnan (China)
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides ussuriensis'' Matschie, 1907 found in South Siberia (Russia)
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus'' Temminck, 1838 found in Japan
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides albus'' Beard, 1904 found in HokkaidÅ (Japan)
★ ''Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides'' Temminck, 1838 found in the rest of Asia
Behavior
Like many other dogs, they are omnivorous. However, their diets are 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.
Raccoon Dogs are secretive and not very aggressive; they prefer to hide or scream rather than fight, and play dead to avoid animals that will eat them. They are monogamous; some fights occur between males for the females. Mating season begins when Raccoon Dogs emerge from their homes. 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 for the cubs when they are weaned, about 50 days after birth. The little raccoon dogs are physically and sexually mature after 1 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.
Use for fur
An investigation [4]by three animal protection groups into the Chinese fur trade in 2004 and part of 2005 asserts that there are an estimated 1.5 million raccoon dogs being raised for fur in China. The report claims that killing methods include first hitting the animals on the head with a stick or slamming the animal into the ground to stun them, but that "a significant number of animals remain fully conscious during the skinning process and started to writhe and move around." [5] Video taken during the investigation [6] shows a raccoon dog apparently conscious during and after the skinning process. A 2005 follow-up article by the Beijing News [7] reports: "On this particular day around half the raccoon dogs and foxes were skinned alive like this."
Sean John Incident
On 22 December 2006, fur-hooded jackets made by the Sean John clothing company were pulled off the shelves of Macy's Department Stores when the nation’s largest animal protection organization concluded that the garments were actually made from raccoon dog. Previously advertised as a faux fur product, they were later identified. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, added that the issue is an “industry-wide problem†and its investigation demonstrated that retailers and designers “aren’t paying close enough attention to the fur trim they are selling.â€[8]
Another perspective
The Chinese government denies that the country's fur farming methods are cruel, and has even suggested that some of the videos have even been staged, as no further evidence of where the videos were shot has been forthcoming.[9]
The Raccoon dog is found in the wild throughout Northern Europe and Asia, and has spread perhaps largely due to the fact that it is valued for its fur by a variety of native peoples, and also by the Western fur trade; in European fur farming, it is known as the Finn Raccoon. [10]
A recent EEC report into the fur trade reported that fur farming in the West has high welfare standards. [11] This evidence was tampered with to such an extent that the top welfare scientists involved have felt compelled to publish this report, saying that their findings had been "politicised".
As far as the raccoon dog, and many other native species such as sable and fox, are concerned, it is claimed by both the trade and academic and conservation sources that fur trade does help protect the habitat of these animals. [12] The University of South Dakota is among those concerned by criticism of the fur trade in terms of conservation.[13]
Many Siberian tribes rely totally for income on fur trade; and 80% of furs are products of the Boreal forest region; up to 22% is native produce, and huge economic damage has been inflicted on native economies by the animal rights movement. [14] [15]
Krasnoyarsk in Evenkyia is just one of the fur producing areas with a large native involvement, and though there are no figures for Raccoon dog, the area produces up to a million animal fur pelts annually in an area where the raccoon dog is indigenous. [16]
With a gene pool of 1.5 million animals claimed above, the raccoon dog is not endangered. A far greater threat in Siberia may be habitat destruction ([17]) and disease probably from dogs of workers settling there in communist period; certainly distemper is a transferable disease : [[18]].
A further source for specific clash between oil exploration and habitat destruction versus traditional use is here; [19].
In undisturbed areas where the animals are hunted for fur (worth noting that the Evenk tribes also have fur farms) they are abundant; in Japan for example the 40,000 to 70,000 raccoon dog hunted for their fur are part of a strict wildlife management plan that enables a healthy population, which is as a result classified as common there. [20]
The WWF have fostered areas of traditional hunting use in Siberia, which have been called sable reserves as the local people are so reliant on the sable (but also fox and raccoon dog which is indigenous) for both food and income from sale of fur. [21]
This detailed study of traditional use in Russia gives an important perspective on economic and ecological factors in the regions fur trade; raccoon dog is an important part.
[22]
References
1. K. Kauhala. 1994. The Raccoon Dog: a successful canid[1]
★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is of concern
★
★ The character Hachiemon from the popular T.V series ''InuYasha''.
★ 1http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061222/ap_on_bi_ge/macy_s_dog_fur_1
★ Article: "Sean John jackets were made with dog fur", 22 December 2006, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16329355/?GT1=8816.
★ Fun Fur: A Report on the Chinese Fur Industry by Hsieh-Yi, Yi-Chiao, Yu Fu, Mark Rissi and Dr Barbara Maas. Swiss Animal Protection, Care for the Wild International, East International. [23]
★ Fun Fur: A Film by Mark Rissi [24]
★ The Slaughter behind 200-million-yuan Revenue from Fur. The Beijing News. Translation.[25]
External links
★ World Conservation Union - article on raccoon dogs
★ America Zoo - basic info, one image
★ Lioncrusher's Domain - detailed information, image
★ canids.org - technical and conservation information
★ Lauri Sippu's page - many images
★ BBC - very basic information with images
★ Animal Planet - basic information, image
★ Foundation TV's "Brilliant Creatures" - a pair of on-camera raccoon dogs
★ Nyctereutes abdeslami - information on another extinct species of its genus
★ http://www.hsus.org/furfree/news/sean_john_diddy_combs_mislabeled_fur.html Humane Society of the United States investigation page about Sean John raccoon dog fur jacket.
★ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=12712 Jay-Z Caught Up in Faux Fur Fraud
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