Raccoon Dog

The Raccoon Dog, also known as "Tanuki" in Japan, is a small canid native to Asia. It was introduced in the USSR for its fur, but is now rapidly spreading westward across Europe as an invasive species. Omnivorous, they feed on a wide variety of small prey, and fruits, disrupting local ecosystems. Raccoon dogs live in mated pairs or small familial groups with strong bonds. They hunt primarily at night, relying on their excellent sense of smell to find food. This nocturnal lifestyle, small size and skittish nature makes them hard to track down and hunt. Raccoon Dogs are named for their superficial resemblance to raccoons, but the 2 species are not closely related.