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As both the common and scientific names (Nyctereutes procyonoides) suggest, this true canid species has a superficial appearance not dissimilar to the unrelated Raccoon. It is quite unlike a typical canid, having short legs, stocky body and facial markings like those of a Raccoon. Biochemical analysis confirms that this species is not closely related to any of the other living canids and that they probably represent a primitive early offshoot from the ancestral canid stock. The general body colour is golden-yellow and dark brown, with most of the guard hairs tipped in black. The undercoat is a soft brown colouration and is extremely think during the winter period. This has resulted in their utilisation as fur-bearing animals in various countries, often nicknamed "Ussuri Raccoons".
The natural range encompasses south-eastern Siberia, Japan, Manchuria, south-east China and northern Vietnam. However, releases and escapes from fur farms has allowed this species to spread through western Russia and much of northern and central Europe. Raccoon Dogs prefer to inhabit relatively thickly wooded areas, especially those close to rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Some specialise in coastal living.
Raccoon Dogs are unique in being the only canid species to hibernate in the natural state. They rarely, if ever, hibernate in captivity or in the southern parts of its natural range, although in such circumstances their appetite decreases markedly in the colder months of the year and they become more lethargic at the same time. Natural hibernation frequently lasts several months, although they still awake to feed during warmer days through the winter period. Although mainly nocturnal, Raccoon Dogs can be active throughout the day -especially so in captivity where activity periods occur throughout the day and night. The pair and any offspring invariably use specific latrine sites in the wild and in captivity and are important as social markers. These latrine sites can be quite extensive. Although Raccoon Dogs are relatively quiet and cannot bark they do have a broad vocal repertoire. This includes a wonderful mew not dissimilar to the hoot of an owl which never fails to make me smile - usually only expressed, in my experience, during periods of play, just prior to feeding or with the initial excitement of having young puppies in the vicinity.
Raccoon Dogs are truly omnivorous in their diet. They will feed on almost any edible material - vegetable or animal - depending on seasonal availability. Fruits and berries are eaten particularly heavily in the late summer and autumn. Prior to hibernation these animals almost double in weight and their undercoat thickens dramatically. This species exhibits only mild territoriality, with the ranges of pairs over-lapping those of other pairs without any obvious antagonistic interactions. Pairs stay together for much of the year - sometimes throughout the year - and pair bonds are thought to persist from one year to the next.
Mating occurs soon after awakening from hibernation - usually January to March - and the gestation period averages two months in duration. Hollows in rotting, fallen logs, abandoned burrows of badgers and foxes, caves and rock crevices constitute the usual places chosen for the female to use as a birthing and rearing site. Average litter size in the wild is around six but can vary from 3 to 12 with 19 even recorded in one instance, although the percentage mortality tends to be higher with bigger litters. The puppies' eyes open at around 7-10 days of age and, although the female usually allows suckling to occur for around two months, the puppies start to eat solid food - usually provided mainly by the male - within three weeks or so of being born. The puppies are fully weaned at about two months of age and are independent at an age of around four months. However, they frequently stay with the adult pair for several more months. Raccoon Dogs can live to at least 10-11 years old, longer in captivity.
Raccoon Dogs are rarely kept in captivity and very few are maintained in the U.K. Almost all stock in the U.K. and Continental Europe derives from founders brought in as experimental animals in fur farms. It quickly became apparent that temperatures in the U.K. and much of Continental Europe are not sufficiently cold nor the winters sufficiently long to enable a maximum growth of fur in these animals. Thus fur derived from such sources could not compete with those from colder climates such as Siberia, Manchuria, northern Japan and Korea. Accordingly, interest in the species ceased amongst western European and British furriers and a few individuals were passed to hobbyists interested in keeping, studying and breeding this truly wonderful species.
We maintain two pairs - a very old pair living out a life of retirement and a slightly younger pair that have had three years of successful breeding. Our suspicion is that the current litter will be the last from this pair since only seven young were born. In the previous two years, the litters were eleven (nine reared) and twelve (eleven reared), respectively. We kept back a young female from last year's breeding and will likely retain a male puppy this year in order to establish a new young pair. In common with many (most) species, one generation of sister-brother, father-daughter or mother-son, generally presents no problems but subsequent generations will need an infusion of fresh blood.
The puppies bred by ourselves have mainly gone to animal education programmes - ideal because of their unique behaviour and lovely temperament if kept tame from an early age - or to zoos (Chessington took a group of 1:3 from last year's litter which generated a great deal of interest from the visiting public), but some have also gone to dedicated hobbyists wishing to enrich their lives by close interaction and observation of this species.
This is one of the larger species not listed on the Dangerous Wild Animals Act (1976) although, if the recent recommendations made in the DWAA review and reiterated by DEFRA's appointed Panel of Experts is enacted, many more carnivores of around the same size will be removed from the Schedule of the DWAA. Neither is this species listed on any of the appendices of CITES.
Raccoon Dogs are absolutely hardy to winter cold and require no additional heat. Indeed, provision of additional heat is potentially detrimental to the long-term wellbeing of this species. However, a snug resting area should be provided and provisioned with hay and straw bedding. This can be in the form of a large kennel or small shed positioned so as to avoid draughts and kept from becoming damp inside. Although the species can be kept in suitably sized accommodation indoors without problems, the optimal conditions would be a small secure paddock area. Outdoor elements of any enclosure should be protected from digging escape efforts but need not be roofed provided the fencing/mesh panels are sufficiently high and robust - this is not a species adept at climbing. If sufficiently large the enclosure can include low platforms and/or trees for shade and a shallow pond since Raccoon Dogs love playing around in water.
As mentioned earlier, Raccoon Dogs do not actually hibernate in captivity. However, they do greatly diminish their food intake through the period from approximately October to February, during which time they largely live off their substantive fat reserves. They undergo an extremely heavy moult upon becoming more active in the late winter / early spring when large clumps of underfur get detached. At this time the animal has somewhat the appearance of a canid equivalent of a moulting camel.
We keep the diet as varied as possible but with reduced quantities through the winter period. We maintain a staple diet based on a rotated three-day system of minced turkey, minced beef, diced heart, dry and tinned cat/dog foods, defrosted day old chicks and defrosted rodents (guinea pigs, rats and mice), defrosted quail, giant mealworms, large crickets, locusts, scrambled eggs, digestive biscuits, diced apples and tinned fruit cocktail. This is supplemented once or twice a week with items such as elderberries, blackberries, fresh papaya, slices of mango, processed rabbit, tinned sweetcorn, low-fat cheese and kidneys.
Although it is possible to separate the male and female during the winter period we choose not to do so and we have not found this to be detrimental to successful breeding attempts. The male will help to look after the puppies as indeed, our young female retained from 2002 is doing with her mother's litter this year - she seems to delight in looking after the puppies, fussing over them as though they were her very own. During the lactating period we supply a bowl of milk to which Complan and a little honey is added in order to supplement the mother's reserves. We also increase the amount and frequency of vitamin and mineral additives added to the food (for this species we add a mainly calcium additive to the meat items on the diet and a general probiotic additive with a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral component). Obviously, food consumption increases dramatically as the pups start to sample food at about three weeks of age.
Taken as puppies and handled regularly, the vast majority of Raccoon Dogs remain remarkably friendly - albeit very inquisitive - throughout their lives. Puppies should be inoculated and wormed in exactly the same manner as domestic dogs and we always ensure that those supplied from our breeding successes have already been subject to the full inoculation programme. Adults and puppies alike will appreciate sturdy "toys" with which to gain environmental enrichment.
In summary, the Raccoon Dog is a truly remarkable and unique species deserving of the attention of dedicated hobbyists willing to cater for their needs. Although the founder stock in captivity (outside of the eastern fur farms) is very limited and the species is likely to always remain a rarity in collections with care and attention we can preserve this species in confinement for the benefit and wonder of future generations who wish to share their lives with species other than their own.
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