Editing Common raccoon dog

{{distinguish|Raccoon|Coon dog}}
{{short description|Canid indigenous to East Asia}}
{{use dmy dates|cs1-dates=ly|date=June 2023}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Common raccoon dog
| image = Єнотовидний собака (Nyctereutes procyonoides).jpg
| image_caption = In [[Ukraine]]
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author1=Kauhala, K. |author2=Saeki, M. |year=2016 |title=''Nyctereutes procyonoides'' |page=e.T14925A85658776 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T14925A85658776.en |access-date=19 February 2022}}</ref>
| genus = Nyctereutes
| species = procyonoides
| authority = ([[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1834)
| range_map = Raccoon Dog area.png
| range_map_caption = Common raccoon dog range<br/>Blue – native area (including range of [[Japanese raccoon dog]])<br/>Red – area of introduction
| synonyms = 
*''Canis procyonoides'' <small>Gray, 1834</small>
*''Canis viverrinus'' <small>Temminck, 1838</small>
*''Nyctereutes albus'' <small>Hornaday, 1904</small>
*''Nyctereutes sinensis'' <small>Brass, 1904</small>
*''Nyctereutes amurensis'' <small>Matschie, 1907</small>
*''Nyctereutes stegmanni'' <small>Matschie, 1907</small>
}}

The '''common raccoon dog''' ('''''Nyctereutes procyonoides'''''), also called the '''Chinese''' or '''Asian raccoon dog''' to distinguish it from the [[Japanese raccoon dog]], is a heavy-set, fox-like [[canid]] native to [[East Asia]]. Named for its [[raccoon]]-like face markings, it is most closely related to foxes. Common raccoon dogs feed on many animals and plant matter, and are unusual among canids (dogs, foxes, and other members of the family [[Canidae]]) in that they hibernate during cold winters and can climb trees. They are widespread in their native range, and are invasive in Europe where they were introduced for the fur trade. The similar Japanese raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes viverrinus'', the ''tanuki''), native to Japan, is the only other [[extant taxon|living member]] of the genus ''[[Nyctereutes]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kim |first1=Sang-In |last2=Oshida |first2=Tatsuo |last3=Lee |first3=Hang |last4=Min |first4=Mi-Sook |last5=Kimura |first5=Junpei |date=2015 |title=Evolutionary and biogeographical implications of variation in skull morphology of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides, Mammalia: Carnivora) |journal=Biological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=116 |issue=4 |pages=856–872 |doi=10.1111/bij.12629 |issn=1095-8312 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The closest relatives of the common raccoon dogs are the [[Vulpes|true foxes]], not the raccoon, which is one of the [[Musteloidea|musteloid]]s, and not closely related. Among the Canidae, the common raccoon dog shares the habit of regularly climbing trees only with the North American [[gray fox]], which is neither a true fox nor a close relative of the common raccoon dog.<ref name="canids"/><ref name="Macdonald-basal">{{cite book |last1=Macdonald |first1=David W. |last2=Sillero-Zubir |first2=Claudio |date=2004-06-24 |title=The Biology and Conservation of Wild Canids |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vrgow9ERQeIC |access-date=February 16, 2016 |isbn=9780191523359 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317185703/https://books.google.com/books?id=Vrgow9ERQeIC |archive-date=2023-03-17 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Ikeda, Hiroshi p40,44">{{cite journal |title=Old, new tricks: Asia's raccoon, a venerable member of the canid family is pushing into new frontiers |author=Ikeda, Hiroshi |journal=Natural History |volume=95 |issue=8 |pages=40, 44 |date=August 1986}}</ref><ref name="waza.org">{{cite web |title=Raccoon Dog, Tanuki |publisher=World Association of Zoos and Aquariums |work=Waza.org |url=http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo/dogs-and-hyenas/nyctereutes-procyonoides. |access-date=2015-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150410065554/http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo/dogs-and-hyenas/nyctereutes-procyonoides|archive-date=2015-04-10|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Due to the fur trade, the common raccoon dog has been widely introduced in Europe, where it has been treated as a potentially hazardous [[invasive species]].<ref name="Sweden">[http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/09/04/Sweden-says-open-season-on-raccoon-dogs/UPI-95421252091031/ Sweden says open season on raccoon dogs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905235022/http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/09/04/Sweden-says-open-season-on-raccoon-dogs/UPI-95421252091031/ |date=2009-09-05}}. UPI.com (2009-09-04). Retrieved on 2011-01-27.</ref> In Scandinavia, it is called "[[marten]]-dog" ({{langx|sv|mårdhund}}, [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] and [[Danish language|Danish]]: {{lang|gmq|mårhund}}).<ref name="Sweden" /> In Europe, since 2019, the common raccoon dog has been included on the [[List of invasive alien species of Union concern|list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern]] (the Union list).<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern - Environment - European Commission |url=https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/invasivealien/list/index_en.htm |access-date=2021-07-27 |website=ec.europa.eu |archive-date=2019-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819074630/https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/invasivealien/list/index_en.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> This implies that this species cannot be imported, bred, transported, commercialized, or intentionally released into the environment in the whole of the European Union.<ref>{{Cite web |title=REGULATION (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European parliament and of the council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014R1143&from=EN|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303185733/http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014R1143&from=EN |archive-date=2017-03-03}}</ref>

== Description ==
[[File:Nyctereutes procyonoides 05 MWNH 205b.JPG|left|thumb|upright|Raccoon dog skull.]]

Common raccoon dog skulls greatly resemble those of South American foxes, particularly [[crab-eating fox]]es, though genetic studies reveal they are not closely related.<ref name="canids">{{cite web |author1=Kauhala, K. |author2=Saeki, M. |year=2004 |title=Raccoon Dog |url=http://www.canids.org/species/Raccoon_dog.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219205621/http://canids.org/species/Raccoon_dog.pdf |archive-date=2009-02-19 |series=Canid Species Accounts |publisher=IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group |location=Pridobljeno |access-date=2009-04-15}}</ref> Their skulls are small, but sturdily built and moderately elongated, with narrow [[zygomatic arch]]es. The projections of the skull are well-developed, with the [[sagittal crest]] being particularly prominent in old animals.

Reflecting their omnivorous diets, common raccoon dogs have small and weak canines and carnassials, flat molars, and relatively long [[intestine]]s – (1.5–2.0&nbsp;times longer than other canids). They have long torsos and short legs. Total lengths can range from {{convert|45|to|71|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The tail, at {{convert|12|to|18|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, is short, amounting to less than a third of the animal's total length and hangs below the [[tarsal joint]]s without touching the ground. The ears are short and protrude only slightly from the fur.

Weights fluctuate according to season: in March they weigh {{cvt|3|kg}}, while in August to early September males average {{cvt|6.5|–|7|kg}}, with some individuals attaining a maximal weight of {{convert|9|-|10|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name="soviet">{{cite book |title=Mammals of the Soviet Union |volume=II |at=Part&nbsp;1a |chapter=Sirenia and Carnivora (Sea cows; Wolves, and Bears) |editor1=Heptner, V.G. |editor2=Naumov, N.P. |publisher=Science Publishers, Inc. |place=USA |year=1998 |isbn=1-886106-81-9}}</ref> Specimens from Japanese and Russian studies have been shown to be on average larger than those from Chinese studies.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.2307/3504213|doi-access=free |title=''Nyctereutes procyonoides'' |journal=Mammalian Species |id=Issue 358 |pages=1–5 |author1=Ward, Oscar C. |author2=Wurster-Hill, Doris H. |date=23 October 1990 |issue=358 |publisher=The American Society of Mammalogists|jstor=3504213}}</ref>

[[File:Der Marderhund, Tanuki oder Enok (Nyctereutes procyonoides), bitte nicht zu verwechseln mit einem Waschbär, hier im Wisentgehege in Springe (Kleiner Deister).jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|left|The distinctly raccoon-like markings of a raccoon dog's face.]]
The winter fur is long and thick with dense [[underfur]] and coarse guard hairs measuring {{convert|120|mm|in}} in length. The winter fur protects common raccoon dogs from low temperatures ranging down to {{convert|−20|to|−25|C|F}}. It is of a dirty, earth-brown, or brownish-grey colour with black guard hairs. The tail is darker than the torso. A dark stripe is present on the back, which broadens on the shoulders, forming a cross shape. The abdomen is yellowish-brown, while the chest is dark brown or blackish. The muzzle is covered in short hair, which increases in length and quantity behind the eyes. The cheeks are coated with long, whiskery hairs. The summer fur is brighter and reddish straw-coloured.<ref name="soviet"/>

A rare white colour type occurs in China.<ref>{{cite journal |pmid=26125860 |doi=10.4238/2015.June.12.8 |volume=14 |title=Cloning and association analysis of KIT and EDNRB polymorphisms with dominant white coat color in the Chinese raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides'') |year=2015 |journal=Genet. Mol. Res. |pages=6549–6554 |last1=Yan |first1=S.Q. |last2=Bai |first2=C.Y. |last3=Qi |first3=S.M. |last4=Li |first4=M.L. |last5=Si |first5=S. |last6=Li |first6=Y.M. |last7=Sun |first7=J.H. |issue=2 |doi-access=free}}</ref> They can also come in a yellow colour.<ref name=Han2012>{{cite journal |title=Altered expression of melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) in a yellow-coloured wild raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'') |year=2012 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01036.x |last1=Han |first1=Jae-Ik |last2=Yang |first2=Hyun |last3=Jeung |first3=Eui-Bae |last4=Na |first4=Ki-Jeong |journal=Veterinary Dermatology |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=187–e37 |pmid=22385104}}</ref>

== Ecology ==
=== Diet ===
Common raccoon dogs are [[omnivore]]s that feed on [[insect]]s, [[rodent]]s, [[amphibian]]s, [[bird]]s, [[fish]], [[reptile]]s, [[mollusks]], [[crab]]s, [[sea urchin]]s, human [[garbage]], [[carrion]], and [[egg]]s, as well as fruits, nuts, and berries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sutor |first1=Astrid |last2=Kauhala |first2=Kaarina |last3=Ansorge |first3=Hermann |title=Diet of the raccoon dog ''Nyctereutes procyonoides'' — a canid with an opportunistic foraging strategy |journal=Acta Theriologica |volume=55 |issue=2 |year=2010 |pages=165–176 |doi=10.4098/j.at.0001-7051.035.2009 |s2cid=42426234}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kauhala |first1=K. |last2=Kaunisto |first2=M. |last3=Helle |first3=E. |year=1993 |title=Diet of the raccoon dog, ''Nyctereutes procyonoides'', in Finland |journal=Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde |volume=58 |issue=3 |pages=129–136 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/192108 |access-date=17 March 2023 |via=Biodiversity Heritage Library |archive-date=24 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724190512/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/192108 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.11238/jmammsocjapan.19.1 |last1=Sasaki |first1=H. |last2=Kawabata |first2=M. |year=1994 |title=Food habits of the raccoon dog ''Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus'' in a mountainous area of Japan |journal=Journal of the Mammalogical Society of Japan |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=1–8|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nyctereutes_procyonoides/|last=Carr|first=Kelly|website=Animal Diversity Web|title=''Nyctereutes procyonoides''|year=2004|editor-last1=Shefferly|editor-first1=Nancy|editor-last2=Myers|editor-first2=Phil|access-date=17 March 2023|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923073130/https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nyctereutes_procyonoides/|url-status=live}}</ref> Among the rodents targeted by common raccoon dogs, [[vole]]s seem to predominate in swampy areas, but are replaced with [[Gerbillinae|gerbil]]s in flatland areas such as [[Astrakhan]]. [[Frog]]s are the most commonly taken amphibians; in the [[Voronezh]] region, they frequently eat [[fire-bellied toad]]s, while [[European spadefoot toad]]s are usually taken in Ukraine. Common raccoon dogs are able to eat toads that have toxic skin secretions by producing copious amounts of saliva to dilute the toxins.<ref name=Alderton>{{cite book |last1=Alderton |first1=David |year=1998 |title=Foxes, Wolves, and Wild Dogs of the World |pages=119 |location=London |publisher=Blandford |isbn=9780816057153}}</ref> They prey on [[waterfowl]], [[passerine]]s, and [[migrating bird]]s. [[Grouse]] are commonly hunted in their introduced range, and many instances of [[pheasant]] predation are recorded in the [[Ussuri]] territory.

Common raccoon dogs eat beached fish and fish trapped in small water bodies. They rarely catch fish during the spawning season, but eat many during the spring thaw. In their southern range, they eat young [[tortoise]]s and their eggs. Insectivorous mammals hunted by common raccoon dogs include [[shrew]]s, [[hedgehog]]s, and, on rare occasions, [[mole (animal)|mole]]s and [[desman]]s. In the Ussuri territory, [[large mole]]s are their primary source of food. Plant food is highly variable, and includes [[bulb]]s, [[rhizome]]s, [[oat]]s, [[millet]]s, [[maize]], [[nut (fruit)|nut]]s, [[fruit]]s, [[berries]], [[grape]]s, [[melon]]s, [[watermelon]]s, [[pumpkin]]s, and [[tomato]]es.<ref name="soviet"/>

Common raccoon dogs adapt their diets to the season; in late autumn and winter they feed mostly on rodents, carrion, and feces, while fruit, insects, and amphibians predominate in spring. In summer they eat fewer rodents, and mainly target nesting birds, fruits, grains, and vegetables.<ref name="soviet"/>

=== Predators ===
[[Wolf|Wolves]] are the main predators of common raccoon dogs, killing large numbers of them in spring and summer, though attacks have been reported in autumn, too. In [[Tatarstan]], wolf predation can account for more than half of<ref name=Alderton /> dog deaths, while in northwestern Russia, it can amount to almost two-thirds. [[Red fox]]es kill common raccoon dog pups, and have been known to bite adults to death.

Both foxes and [[European badger]]s compete with common raccoon dogs for food, and have been known to kill them if common raccoon dogs enter their burrows. [[Eurasian lynx]]es rarely attack them. [[Birds of prey]] known to take<ref name=Alderton /> dogs include [[golden eagle]]s, [[white-tailed eagle]]s, [[Accipitridae|goshawk]]s, and [[eagle owl]]s.<ref name="soviet" />

== Behaviour ==
=== Reproduction and development ===
[[File:Streifzug Marderhundwelpe Pforzheim.JPG|thumb|upright=1.15|Raccoon dog pup.|alt=]]
The [[mating season]] begins from early February to late April, depending on location. Common raccoon dogs are [[monogamy in animals|monogamous]] animals, with pair formations usually occurring in autumn. Captive males, however, have been known to mate with four or five females. Males will fight briefly, but not fatally, for mates.<ref name="soviet"/> Copulation occurs during the night, or at dawn, and typically will last 6–9 minutes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Valtonen |first1=M. H. |last2=Rajakoski |first2=E. J. |last3=Makela |first3=J. I. |title=Reproductive features in the female raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'') |journal=Reproduction |volume=51 |issue=2 |year=1977 |pages=517–NP |pmid=563458 |doi=10.1530/jrf.0.0510517 |url=http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/51/2/517.full.pdf |access-date=2017-06-09 |s2cid=35333050 |archive-date=2018-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719114225/http://www.reproduction-online.org/content/51/2/517.full.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Estrus]] lasts from a few hours to six days, during which females may mate up to five times. Females enter estrus again after 20–24&nbsp;days, even when pregnant.

The [[gestation period]] lasts 61–70&nbsp;days, with pups being born in April–May. Litter sizes typically consist of 6–8&nbsp;pups, though 15–16&nbsp;pups can be born in exceptional cases. First-time mothers typically give birth to fewer pups than older ones. Males take an active role in raising the pups.<ref name="soviet"/> This male role is very significant, as demonstrated by early releases in 1928 of pregnant females without males, resulting in very limited success at introduction, while later releases of pairs from 1929 until the 1960s resulted in the common raccoon dog's now-extensive introduced European range.<ref>Alderton, David (1998). ''Foxes, Wolves, and Wild Dogs of the World''. London: Blandford. p. 121. {{ISBN|9780816057153}}</ref>

At birth, pups weigh {{cvt|60|–|110|g}}, and are blind and covered in short, dense, soft wool lacking [[guard hairs]]. Their eyes open after 9–10&nbsp;days, with the teeth erupting after 14–16&nbsp;days. Guard hairs begin to grow after 10&nbsp;days, and first appear on the hips and shoulders. After two weeks, they lighten in colour, with black tones remaining only around the eyes. [[Lactation]] lasts for 45–60&nbsp;days, though pups begin eating food brought to them as early as the age of three weeks to one month. They reach their full size at the age of 4.5&nbsp;months. Pups leave their parents in late August–September. By October, the pups, which by then resemble adults, unite in pairs. [[Sexual maturity]] is reached at 8–10&nbsp;months. Their [[longevity]] is largely unknown; animals 6–7&nbsp;years of age have been encountered in the wild, while captive specimens have been known to live for 11 years.<ref name="soviet"/>

=== Hibernation ===
Common raccoon dogs are the only canids known to [[hibernation|hibernate]]. In early winter, they increase their subcutaneous fat by 18–23% and their internal fat by 3–5%. Animals failing to reach these fat levels usually do not survive the winter. During their hibernation, their metabolism decreases by 25%. In areas such as [[Primorsky Krai]] and their introduced range, common raccoon dogs hibernate only during severe snowstorms. In December, their physical activity decreases once snow depth reaches {{cvt|15|–|20|cm}}, and limit the range from their burrows to no more than {{cvt|150|–|200|m}}. Their daily activities increase during February when the females become receptive, and when food is more available.<ref name="soviet"/>

=== Vocalizations ===
Common raccoon dogs are usually silent, but males in rut may yelp and growl.<ref name="soviet"/>

==Subspecies==
{{As of|2005}},<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft|id=14000818}}</ref> four subspecies are recognised by [[MSW3]]:
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|- style="background:#115a6c;"
!Subspecies
!Trinomial authority
!Description
!Range
!Synonyms
|-
|'''Chinese raccoon dog'''<br>''N. p. procyonoides''<br>[[Nominate subspecies]]
[[File:Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides Hardwicke.jpg|150 px]]
|1834, [[John Edward Gray|Gray]]
|
|Eastern China
|<small>''kalininensis'' (Sorokin, 1958)</small><br><small>''sinensis'' (Brass, 1904)</small><br><small>''stegmanni'' (Matschie, 1907)</small>
|-
|'''Korean raccoon dog'''<br>''N. p. koreensis''
[[File:Korean raccoon dog.jpg|150 px]]
|1922, [[Tamezo Mori|Mori]]
|
|Korean Peninsula
|
|-
|'''Yunnan raccoon dog'''<br>''N. p. orestes''
|1923, [[Oldfield Thomas|Thomas]]
|
|Southeastern China, northern Vietnam 
|
|-
|'''Ussuri raccoon dog'''<br>''N. p. ussuriensis''
[[File:Nyctereutes procyonoides 4 (Piotr Kuczynski).jpg|150 px]]
|1907, [[Matschie]]
|Distinguished from ''N. p. procyonoides'' by its larger size and denser, longer hair.<ref name=soviet/> After being introduced to western USSR, it now occurs throughout Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.
|Russia (Siberian Ussuri and Amur territories), northeastern China, North Korea; introduced to Europe
|<small>''amurensis'' (Matschie, 1907)</small>
|-
|}
The [[Japanese raccoon dog]] was also considered a subspecies (''N. p. viverrinus''), but is currently thought to represent a distinct species.

== Expanded range and invasive species ==
[[File:Racoon dog2.jpg|thumb|Raccoon dog sleeping.]]
[[File:Nyctereutes procyonoides 16072008.jpg|thumb|Raccoon dog in Finland]]
From 1928 to 1958, 10,000 raccoon dogs of the ''N. p. ussuriensis'' subspecies were introduced in 76 districts, territories, and [[republics of the Soviet Union]] in an attempt to improve their fur quality. [[Primorsky Krai|Primorye]] in the [[Russian Far East]] was the first region to be colonised, with individuals being transplanted from islands in the [[Sea of Japan]]. By 1934, common raccoon dogs were introduced into [[Altai Krai|Altai]], the [[Northern Caucasus]], [[Armenia]], [[Kyrgyzstan]] (then known as [[Kirgizia]]), [[Tatarstan]], Kalinin (now [[Tver Oblast]]), [[Penza Oblast|Penza]], and [[Orenburg Oblast|Orenburg]] regions. In the following year, they were further introduced into [[Leningradsky District, Krasnodar Krai|Leningradsky District (Krasnodar Krai)]], [[Murmansk Oblast|Murmansk]], [[Novosibirsk Oblast|Novosibirsk]], and [[Bashkortostan]].

Common raccoon dogs in [[Irkutsk Oblast|Irkutsk]], Novosibirsk, [[Zabaykalsky Krai|Trans-Baikaliya]], and [[Altai Krai|Altai]] did not fare well, due to harsh winters and scarce food. Common raccoon dogs also fared badly in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, [[Central Asia]], and Moldova. However, successful introductions occurred in the [[Baltic States|Baltic states]], European Russia (particularly in then-Kalinin, now [[Tver Oblast]]; [[Novgorod Oblast|Novgorod]], [[Pskov Oblast|Pskov]], and [[Smolensk Oblast|Smolensk]] regions), in central Russia ([[Moscow Oblast|Moscow]], [[Yaroslavl Oblast|Yaroslavl]], [[Vologda Oblast|Vologda]], Gorkiy (now [[Nizhny Novgorod]]), [[Vladimir Oblast|Vladimir]], [[Ryazan Oblast]]s, etc.) as well as in the [[Chernozem]] belt of [[Voronezh Oblast|Voronezh]], [[Tambov Oblast|Tambov]], and [[Kursk Oblast|Kursk]]; the lower [[Volga Region]], and the level parts of [[Northern Caucasus]] and [[Dagestan]]. In Ukraine, the greatest numbers of raccoon dogs were established in [[Poltava Oblast|Poltava]], [[Kherson Oblast|Kherson]], and [[Luhansk Oblast|Lugansk]].<ref name="soviet"/>

In 1948, 35&nbsp;common raccoon dogs were introduced into Latvia. The population increased rapidly. In 1960, Latvia officially reported a total of 4,210&nbsp;common raccoon dogs were hunted.<ref>{{cite work |author1=Miervaldis Bušs |author2=Jānis Vanags |title=Latvijas Meži |year=1987 |location=Latvia |contribution=Medību saimniecība}}</ref>

The common raccoon dog is now abundant throughout Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and has been reported as far away as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden,<ref name=Sweden /> Belarus, Poland, Germany,<ref name=Drygala2008>{{cite journal |title=Habitat use of the raccoon dog (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'') in north-eastern Germany |author1=Drygala, F. |author2=Stier, N. |author3=Zoller, H. |author4=Boegelsack, K. |author5=Mix, H.M. |author6=Roth, M. |name-list-style=amp |journal=Mammalian Biology – Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde |volume=73 |issue=5 |pages=371–378 |year=2008 |doi=10.1016/j.mambio.2007.09.005}} (Title: [[sic]], per journal website.)</ref> Netherlands,<ref name="Nederlands">{{cite web |url=https://nltimes.nl/2016/10/07/raccoon-dogs-spotted-netherlands |title=Raccoon Dogs Spotted in Netherlands |first=Janene |last=Pieters |date=7 October 2016 |access-date=22 August 2019 |publisher=NL Times |archive-date=17 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317185748/https://nltimes.nl/2016/10/07/raccoon-dogs-spotted-netherlands |url-status=live}}</ref> Belgium,<ref name="Belgium">{{cite web |title=Invasive species in Belgium: Nyctereutes procyonoides |work=Invasive Alien Species in Belgium |publisher=Belgian Biodiversity Platform |year=2019 |url=https://ias.biodiversity.be/species/show/78 |access-date=22 August 2019 |archive-date=29 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829064013/http://ias.biodiversity.be/species/show/78 |url-status=live}}</ref> Luxembourg, France, Switzerland,<ref name="KORA-04">{{cite web |url=http://www.kora.ch/pdf/reports/rep29.pdf |title=Monitoring der Raubtiere in der Schweiz 2004 |access-date=2008-01-25 |author=Zimmermann, F. |year=2004 |work=KORA Bericht |issue=29 |publisher=Coordinated research projects for the conservation and management of carnivores in Switzerland |archive-date=2011-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003212912/http://www.kora.ch/pdf/reports/rep29.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> Czech Republic,<ref name="Czechia">{{cite web |last=Kenety |first=Brian |title=Raccoon dogs invade Czech lands |date=2 April 2012 |publisher=Lidovky |url=http://ceskapozice.lidovky.cz/tema/raccoon-dogs-invade-czech-lands.A120402_091140_pozice_62458?setver=touch |access-date=24 August 2019 |archive-date=24 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824161743/http://ceskapozice.lidovky.cz/tema/raccoon-dogs-invade-czech-lands.A120402_091140_pozice_62458%3Fsetver%3Dtouch |url-status=live}}</ref> Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria,<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Doycheva, V. |author2=Angelov, I. |author3=Popivanov, I. |author4=Doychinova, T. |author5=Shalamanov, D. |title=Състояние и перспективи за контрола на лайшманиозата |language=Bulgarian |trans-title=Current status and perspectives for control of leishmaniasis |page=10 |issue=2 |volume=9 |journal=Български медицински журнал (Bulgarian medical journal) |year=2015 |url=http://nt-cmb.mu-sofia.bg:8080/jspui/bitstream/10861/1271/1/Doycheva_et-al_1_BMJ_2-2015.pdf |access-date=2018-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114224203/http://nt-cmb.mu-sofia.bg:8080/jspui/bitstream/10861/1271/1/Doycheva_et-al_1_BMJ_2-2015.pdf |archive-date=2018-11-14 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Serbia, and Moldova.

In response, Denmark set a goal of zero breeding for common raccoon dogs by 2015.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612053935/http://naturstyrelsen.dk/78592 |archive-date=2015-06-12 |url=http://naturstyrelsen.dk/78592 |title=Mårhund (''Nyctereutes procyonoides'') – Lille rovdyr – stor trussel |publisher=The Danish Nature Agency |language=da |url-status=dead |trans-title=Raccoon dog – Small predator – large threat}}</ref> However, by 2018, it had become fully established in [[Jutland]] (the mainland of Denmark, directly connected to Germany), with further projects mainly aimed at limiting or preventing its spread on the Danish islands.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elskovsyge skadedyr klar til at invadere Fyn |url=https://www.tv2fyn.dk/artikel/elskovsyge-skadedyr-klar-til-invadere-fyn |publisher=[[TV 2 (Denmark)|TV2 Fyn]] |language=da |date=23 February 2018 |access-date=27 July 2019 |archive-date=27 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727214818/https://www.tv2fyn.dk/artikel/elskovsyge-skadedyr-klar-til-invadere-fyn |url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2021, a study commissioned by the United Kingdom's [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] identified the common raccoon dog as one of 20 invasive species likely to spread to the UK.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/09/raccoon-dogs-britain-non-native-pest-invasive-species |work=[[The Guardian]] |title=Raccoon dogs may be Britain's next non-native pest, study finds |first=Patrick |last=Barkham |date=9 June 2021 |access-date=10 June 2021 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609232646/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/09/raccoon-dogs-britain-non-native-pest-invasive-species |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Diseases and parasites ==
=== Coronaviruses ===
A virus similar to [[SARS-CoV]] was isolated from [[Himalayan palm civet]]s (''Paguma larvata''), a common raccoon dog, and humans working in a live-animal market in [[Guangdong|Guangdong, China]] in May 2003.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Guan |first1=Y. |last2=Zheng |first2=B. J. |last3=He |first3=Y. Q. |last4=Liu |first4=X. L. |last5=Zhuang |first5=Z. X. |last6=Cheung |first6=C. L. |last7=Luo |first7=S. W. |last8=Li |first8=P. H. |last9=Zhang |first9=L. J.|last10=Guan|first10=Y. J. |last11=Butt |first11=K. M. |date=2003-10-10 |title=Isolation and characterization of viruses related to the SARS coronavirus from animals in southern China |journal=Science |volume=302 |issue=5643 |pages=276–278 |doi=10.1126/science.1087139 |pmid=12958366 |bibcode=2003Sci...302..276G |doi-access=free |s2cid=10608627}}</ref>

Common raccoon dogs, as well as [[masked palm civet]]s, were originally believed to be the [[natural reservoirs]] of [[severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus]] (SARS). However, genetic analysis has since convinced most experts that bats are the natural hosts.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Paules |first1=Catherine I. |last2=Marston |first2=Hillary D. |last3=Fauci |first3=Anthony S. |title=Coronavirus Infections – More than Just the Common Cold |journal=JAMA |volume=323 |issue=8 |date=2020-01-23 |pages=707–708 |doi=10.1001/jama.2020.0757 |pmid=31971553 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Raccoon dogs were most likely only transient accidental [[Host (biology)|hosts]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chan |first1=P.K. |last2=Chan |first2=M.C. |title=Tracing the SARS-coronavirus |journal=J Thorac Dis |volume=5 |pages=S118-5121 |date=2013-08-05 |issue=Suppl 2 |doi=10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2013.06.19 |pmid=23977431 |pmc=3747522}}</ref>

According to German virologist [[Christian Drosten]], the common raccoon dog is the most likely intermediate host for transmission of [[SARS-CoV-1]] and [[SARS-CoV-2]] to humans, as common raccoon dogs are bred in China in [[fur farming]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.n-tv.de/wissen/Drosten-bringt-neue-Virusquelle-ins-Spiel-article21741200.html |title=Marderhunde als Zwischenwirt? Drosten bringt neue Virusquelle ins Spiel |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612132919/https://www.n-tv.de/wissen/Drosten-bringt-neue-Virusquelle-ins-Spiel-article21741200.html |archivedate=2020-06-12 |work=n-tv.de |date=2020-04-26 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/de/der-marderhund-als-coronavirus-schleuder/g-53039726 |title=Der Marderhund als Coronavirus-Schleuder? |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505080227/https://www.dw.com/de/der-marderhund-als-coronavirus-schleuder/g-53039726 |archivedate=2020-05-05 |work=Deutsche Welle }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cherry |first1=James D |last2=Krogstad |first2=Paul |title=SARS: The First Pandemic of the 21st Century |journal=Pediatric Research |volume=56 |issue=1 |year=2004 |pages=1–5 |doi=10.1203/01.PDR.0000129184.87042.FC |pmid=15152053 |pmc=7086556 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

An early locus of COVID-19 transmission was the Huanan [[live animal market]], and even before the pandemic, the place was identified as a likely site for [[zoonosis]] (diseases hopping to humans from other species). There were over a thousand common raccoon dogs for sale in the market, and about nine thousand other animals.<ref name=scin/>  Samples collected in the market in early 2020 showed high levels of SARS-CoV-2 and common raccoon dog genetic material (often both in the same samples), especially from a stall ("Stall 29") that kept a cage of raccoon-dogs on top of a cage containing poultry, optimum conditions for the virus to hop the species barrier. The existence of such a stall has been contested by Chinese authorities;<ref name=scin/><ref name=photos_wuhan/> the stall had been photographed in 2014 by [[Edward C. Holmes]], an Australian virologist who visited the market while working with local researchers, and while a guest professor with the [[Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CCDC) from 2014 to 2020; it had also been filmed by a local in December 2019 and posted on [[Sina Weibo|Weibo]].<ref name=rdNYT/><ref name=rdatlan/><ref name=photos_wuhan>{{cite news |last1=Zimmer |first1=Carl |title='He Goes Where the Fire Is': A Virus Hunter in the Wuhan Market |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/21/health/covid-lab-leak-eddie-holmes.html |work=The New York Times |date=2022-03-21 }}</ref> Common raccoon dogs are known to be able to catch and spread COVID-19 easily.<ref name=rdatlan/>

These samples were swabs of surfaces in the market; samples from the actual animals in the market would be more conclusive but were not collected.<ref name=rdNYT/><ref name=rdatlan/> The market was closed on 1 January 2020,<ref name=scin>{{cite journal |title=Unearthed genetic sequences from China market may point to animal origin of COVID-19 |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/covid-19-origins-missing-sequences |website=www.science.org |first=Jon |last=Cohen |date=2023-03-16 }}</ref> and the animals were removed before public-health authorities from the Chinese [[Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention]] arrived at the site.<ref name=rdatlan/><ref name=photos_wuhan/> Although the samples do not definitively prove that the raccoon dog is the "missing" intermediate animal host in the bat-to-human transmission chain, it does show that common raccoon dogs were present in the Huanan market at the time of the initial SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, in areas that were also positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and substantially strengthens this hypothesis as the proximal origin of the pandemic.<ref name=rdatlan>{{cite web |last=Wu |first=Katherine J. |website=The Atlantic |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/03/covid-origins-research-raccoon-dogs-wuhan-market-lab-leak/673390/ |url-access=subscription|title=The Strongest Evidence Yet That an Animal Started the Pandemic|date=2023-03-17 |access-date=2023-03-17 }}</ref><ref name=rdNYT>{{cite news |last1=Mueller |first1=Benjamin |title=New Data Links Pandemic's Origins to Raccoon Dogs at Wuhan Market |work=The New York Times |date=2023-03-17 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/science/covid-wuhan-market-raccoon-dogs-lab-leak.html}}</ref>

Some Chinese researchers had published a [[preprint]] analysis of these samples in February 2022, concluding that the coronavirus in the samples had likely been brought in by humans, not the animals on sale,<ref name=rdatlan/> but omissions in the analysis had raised questions,<ref name=scin/> and the raw sample data had not yet been released.<ref name=rdNYT/><ref name=rdatlan/> As academic journals often require that the raw data be published prior to review, academics had been expecting the publication of the raw data behind the preprint paper.<ref name=scin/> No raw genetic data had previously been accessible to any academics not working at Chinese institutions until the genetic sequences from some of the market swabs were uploaded to [[GISAID|an international database]].<ref name=rdNYT/><ref name=rdatlan/> [[Florence Débarre]], a researcher at the [[French National Center for Scientific Research]], stumbled across the samples on March 4, 2023,<ref name=rdNYT/> and brought them to the attention of others. An international team of researchers assembled to analyze the new data, but when they reached out to the Chinese researchers<ref name=rdNYT/> from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention who uploaded the data,<ref name=rdatlan/> not only did they not get a reply, but also the samples were removed from the public database by the uploaders. Analysis of the downloaded sequences is proceeding without Chinese collaboration, {{asof|lc=yes|2023|3|16|df=US}}.<ref name=rdNYT/>

On March 14, 2022, the international group of researchers presented a preliminary analysis at a meeting of the [[World Health Organization]]'s [[Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens]], at which several of the Chinese researchers were present. Shortly afterwards, changes in the status of the preprint suggested that it was under review for print publication.<ref name=rdatlan/> The international research team welcomed the move and hoped the Chinese team's paper would be revised to include the full genetic data, saying they would also be publishing an analysis and hoped that, as scientists, they would work together on the issues.<ref name=scin/> 

The [[New York Times]] was not able to reach the Chinese scientists for comment by March 16, 2022,<ref name=rdNYT/> but [[George F. Gao|George Gao]], the former head of the CCDC and lead author on the February 2022 preprint, told ''[[Science magazine|Science]]'' that the raw data had "nothing new", and he refused to answer questions about why his research team had removed it from the database.<ref name=scin/>

On 17 March 2022, the WHO director-general said that the data should have been shared three years earlier, and called on China to be more transparent in its data-sharing.<ref name=rdatlan/> Further data from further samples has not yet been made public,<ref name=rdNYT/> and [[Maria Van Kerkhove]], the WHO's COVID-19 technical lead, called for it to be made public immediately.<ref name=rdatlan/>

The Chinese government has long insisted that the virus originated outside China,<ref name=rdatlan/> and until June 2021 denied that live animals were traded at the Huanan market.<ref name=scin/>

=== Other viruses ===
The introduction of the common raccoon dog to Europe is thought to have brought with it infected ticks that introduced the Asian [[tick-borne meningoencephalitis]] virus.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=the Asian tick-borne meningoencephalitis virus |year=2018 |doi=10.3389/fcimb.2018.00298 |pmid=30234026 |doi-access=free |last1=Mlera |first1=L. |last2=Bloom |first2=M. E. |journal=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |volume=8 |page=298 |pmc=6127651}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=March 2023}}

Cases of common raccoon dogs carrying [[rabies]] are known from the lower [[Volga]], [[Voronezh]], and [[Lithuania]].<ref name="soviet"/>{{citation needed|reason= the named reference 'soviet' was at the end of the paragraph this sentence was moved from 2020-11-14 but it was ambiguous whether it referred to this point.|date=November 2020}}

[[Canine distemper]] occurs in common raccoon dogs inhabiting the northern Caucasus.<ref name="soviet"/>{{citation needed|reason= the named reference 'soviet' was at the end of the paragraph this sentence was moved from 2020-11-14 but it was ambiguous whether it referred to this point.|date=November 2020}}

=== Bacteria ===
Captive common raccoon dogs in Soviet state animal farms were recorded to carry [[paratyphoid]], [[anthrax]], and [[tuberculosis]].<ref name="soviet"/>{{citation needed|reason= the named reference 'soviet' was at the end of the paragraph this sentence was moved from 2020-11-14 but it was ambiguous whether it referred to this point.|date=November 2020}}

=== [[Eukaryotes]] ===
==== [[Apicomplexa]] ====
Massive [[epizootic]]s of [[Babesiosis|piroplasmosis]] were recorded in [[Ukraine]] and [[Tartary]].<ref name="soviet"/>{{citation needed|reason= the named reference 'soviet' was at the end of the paragraph this sentence was moved from 2020-11-14 but it was ambiguous whether it referred to this point.|date=November 2020}}

==== Worms ====
Raccoon dogs carry 32 different [[parasitic worms]], including eight [[trematode]] species, 17 species of [[nematode]]s, seven [[cestode]]s, and particularly ''[[Echinococcus]]''.<ref name="soviet"/><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Duscher |first1=Tanja |last2=Hodžić |first2=Adnan |last3=Glawischnig |first3=Walter |last4=Duscher |first4=Georg G. |date=2017 |title=The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and the raccoon (Procyon lotor)—their role and impact of maintaining and transmitting zoonotic diseases in Austria, Central Europe |journal=Parasitology Research |volume=116 |issue=4 |pages=1411–1416 |doi=10.1007/s00436-017-5405-2 |issn=0932-0113 |pmc=5360840 |pmid=28229221}}</ref>

==== Arthropods ====
Ticks include ''Dermacentor pictus'', ''[[Ixodes ricinus]]'', ''I. persulcatus'', ''I. crenulatus'', and ''[[Acarus siro]]''.<ref name="soviet"/>

Six species of [[flea]]s are known to be carried by them, including ''Chaetopsylla trichosa'', ''C. globiceps'', ''Paraceras melis'', ''[[Ctenocephalides felis]]'', ''[[Dog flea|C. canis]]'' and ''[[Human flea|Pulex irritans]]''.<ref name="soviet"/>{{citation needed|reason= the named reference 'soviet' was at the end of the paragraph this sentence was moved from 2020-11-14 but it was ambiguous whether it referred to this point.|date=November 2020}}

Although they can be infected with [[mange]], it does not pose a significant threat to their populations as it does with foxes.<ref name="soviet"/>

== Relationships with humans ==

=== Game and crop damage ===
Common raccoon dogs are harmful to [[game bird]] populations, particularly in [[floodplain]]s and the shorelines of [[estuaries]], where they feed almost exclusively on eggs and chicks during the spring period. Birds amount to 15–20% of their diets in Lithuania, 46% on the [[Oka River]] floodlands, and 48.6% in the Voronezh Reserve. They are also harmful to the [[muskrat]] trade, destroying their nests and eating their young. In Ukraine, common raccoon dogs are harmful to [[kitchen garden]]s, [[melon]] cultivations, [[vineyard]]s, and [[corn]] seedlings.<ref name="soviet" />

=== Hunting ===
[[File:Raccoon_dog_12.jpg|right|thumb|A caged raccoon dog.]]
Common raccoon dogs are typically hunted from November until the snow deepens. In the [[Far East]], they are hunted at night using [[Laika (dog breed)|Laika]]s and mongrels. In the 19th&nbsp;century, the [[Goldi]] and [[Oroch people]] fastened bells to the collars of their common raccoon dog hounds. In their introduced range, common raccoon dogs are usually caught incidentally during hunts for other species. [[Fox hunting|Hunting with dogs]] is the most efficient method in common raccoon dog hunts, having success rates of 80–90%, as opposed to 8–10% with guns and 5–7% with traps. Unless they retreat in their burrows, hunted common raccoon dogs can be quickly strangled by hunting dogs. Traps are usually set at their burrows, along the shores of water bodies, and around marshes and ponds.<ref name="soviet" />

In Finland, 60,000–70,000 common raccoon dogs were hunted in 2000, increasing to 170,000 in 2009 and 164,000 in 2010. Hunting of common raccoon dogs in Hungary began in 1997, with an annual catch of one to nine animals. In Poland, 6,200 were shot in 2002–2003. Annual Swedish and Danish common raccoon dog hunts usually result in the capture of two to seven individuals. Between 18,000 and 70,000&nbsp;Japanese raccoon dogs were killed in Japan from the post-WWII period to 1982. Japan intensified its common raccoon dog culling starting in the 1970s, averaging 4,529&nbsp;kills annually between 1990 and 1998. The numbers killed have since decreased.<ref name="canids"/>

=== Fur use ===
[[File:Sherbrooke, Canada (Unsplash S2sWHoVZF8s) (cut).jpg|thumb|left|Jacket with raccoon dog fur trimming.]]
When used on clothing, the fur of the common raccoon dog is often called "murmansky" or "tanuki" fur. In the United States, it is marketed as "Asiatic raccoon", and in Northern Europe as "Finn raccoon".<ref name="furtypes">{{cite web |url=http://www.furcommission.com/farming/mink-biology/furtypes/ |title=Fur Types in Brief |work=Furcommission.com |access-date=2015-04-09 |archive-date=2015-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418095118/http://www.furcommission.com/farming/mink-biology/furtypes/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Generally, the quality of the pelt is based on the silkiness of the fur, as its physical appeal depends upon the guard hairs being erect, which is only possible in silkier furs. Small common raccoon dog pelts with silky fur command higher prices than large, coarse-furred ones. Due to their long and coarse guard hairs and their woolly fur fibre, which has a tendency to felt or mat, common raccoon dog pelts are used almost exclusively for fur trimmings. Japanese raccoon dog pelts, though smaller than other geographic variants, are the most valued variety, with specimens from [[Amur Oblast|Amur]] and [[Heilongjiang]] coming close behind, while Korean and southern Chinese are the least valued.<ref name="fur">Bachrach, Max. (1953). ''Fur: a practical treatise'', 3rd ed. New York: Prentice-Hall.</ref> When raised in captivity, common raccoon dogs can produce {{cvt|100|g}} of wool of slightly lesser quality than that of [[goat]]s.<ref name="soviet" />

Russian trade in common raccoon dogs was quite developed in the Primorye and Ussuri areas in the 1880s. The world trade of common raccoon dog pelts during 1907–1910 amounted to 260,000–300,000, of which an estimated 20,000 (5–8%) came from Russia, though more recent figures estimate a lesser number of 5,000–6,000; 12,000 common raccoon dogs were caught in the 1930s. In their introduced range, licensed trade of common raccoon dogs began in 1948–1950, with restrictions being removed in 1953–1955.[[File:Chinese raccoon fur skins.jpg|right|thumb|Chinese raccoon dog pelts on sale in [[Milan]], Italy.]]After the trade began, the number of catches increased sharply; from 1953–1961, it fluctuated between 30,000 and 70,000. In the latter year, about 10,000 were taken from their natural range in the Far East, while 56,000 were taken in their introduced range. Of the 56,000, 6,500 came from Belarus, 5,000 in Ukraine, 4,000 each for Latvia, Lithuania, and [[Krasnodar]], 3,700 in Kalinin, 2,700 in Pskov, and 2,300 in Astrakhan, while 1,000–2,000 pelts each were produced in Vologod, Moscow, Leningrad, [[Novogrod]], Smolensk, [[Yaroslavl]], Azerbaijan, Estonia, and [[Dagestan]]. Fewer than 1,000 pelts were produced in all remaining republics and districts. Successful common raccoon dog introductions in Kalinin resulted in animals with denser and softer fur: The length of guard and top hairs increased by 7.96%, that of the underfur increased by 5.3%. The thickness of the guard and top hairs decreased by 3.41%. The density of the fur increased by 11.3%. They also became darker in colour, with black-brown pelts occurring in 8% of specimens, as opposed to 3% in their homeland.<ref name="soviet"/>

Captive breeding of common raccoon dogs was initiated in 1928 in the [[Far East]], with 15&nbsp;state farms keeping them in 1934. Common raccoon dogs were the principal furbearers farmed during the early years of collective farms, particularly in Ukraine. By the 1940s, this practice lessened in popularity, as the common raccoon dogs required almost the same types of food as [[Silver fox (animal)|silver fox]]es, which were more valuable.<ref name="soviet"/> An investigation by three animal protection groups into the Chinese fur trade in 2004 and part of 2005 asserts approximately 1.5&nbsp;million common raccoon dogs are raised for fur in China.<ref>Hsieh-Yi, Yi-Chiao, Yu Fu, Mark Rissi and Dr Barbara Maas [http://www.careforthewild.com/files/Furreport05.pdf Fun Fur? A report on the Chinese fur industry] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060211170259/http://www.careforthewild.com/files/Furreport05.pdf |date=2006-02-11}}. Careforthewild.com</ref> The common raccoon dog comprises 11% of all animals hunted in Japan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.env.go.jp/en/wpaper/1995/eae240000000040.html |title=Quality of the Environment in Japan |year=1995 |work=Env.go.jp |access-date=2015-04-09 |archive-date=2015-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615190305/http://www.env.go.jp/en/wpaper/1995/eae240000000040.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Twenty percent of domestically produced fur in Russia is from the common raccoon dog.<ref>Dronova, Natalia and Shestakov, Alexander. [http://www.traffic.org/general-reports/traffic_pub_gen10.pdf Trapping a Living: Conservation and Socio-Economic Aspects of the Fur Trade in the Russian Far East] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324154919/http://www.traffic.org/general-reports/traffic_pub_gen10.pdf |date=2013-03-24}}. TRAFFIC Europe – Russia {{ISBN|978 2 96005 051 6}}</ref>

==== Misrepresentation as artificial fur ====
In several widely publicized incidents, clothing advertised and sold as having synthetic [[faux fur|''faux'' fur]], were documented as actually containing real fur from common raccoon dogs.

On 22&nbsp;December 2006, MSNBC reported [[Macy's]] had pulled from its shelves and its website two styles of [[Sean John]] hooded jackets, originally advertised as featuring ''faux'' fur, after an investigation concluded garments were actually made from common raccoon dog.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16329355 |title=Sean John jackets were made with dog fur |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=2006-12-22 |access-date=2017-02-14 |archive-date=2013-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228021502/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16329355/ |url-status=live}}</ref> 

On 24&nbsp;April 2008, the [[Humane Society of the United States]] (HSUS) filed a false-advertising complaint with the [[Federal Trade Commission|US Federal Trade Commission]] alleging at least 20&nbsp;retailers in the U.S. had been mislabeling common raccoon dog fur. They assert 70% of fur garments they tested were common raccoon dog, but were mislabeled as ''faux'' fur, [[coyote]], [[rabbit]], or other animals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2008/03/raccoon_dog_fur_misrepresented_031908.html |title=Investigation Shows Raccoon Dog Most Misrepresented Fur in America |publisher=The Humane Society of the United States |access-date=2015-07-17 |archive-date=2014-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714234310/http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2008/03/raccoon_dog_fur_misrepresented_031908.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> In December&nbsp;2009, [[Lord & Taylor]] announced new regulations banning the sale of common raccoon dog fur in its stores.<ref name="AO">{{cite web |url=http://www.stylelist.com/2009/12/03/lord-and-taylor-bans-raccoon-dog-fur |title=Lord & Taylor Bans Raccoon Dog Fur |last=Donnelly |first=Erin |date=2009-12-03 |publisher=StyleList |access-date=2015-04-09 |url-status=live |archive-date=2011-08-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810210458/http://www.stylelist.com/2009/12/03/lord-and-taylor-bans-raccoon-dog-fur/}}</ref>

On 19&nbsp;March 2013, three U.S. retailers settled lawsuits with the U.S. government following an investigation that confirmed they had been selling common raccoon dog fur, but labeling it as fake (‘faux’) fur. [[Neiman Marcus]], DrJays.com, and Eminent (Revolve Clothing) reached settlements with the U.S. [[Federal Trade Commission]] that do not incur financial penalties unless they mislabel the fur again.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2013/03/20/real-fur-masquerading-as-faux.html |title=Real fur, masquerading as 'faux' |publisher=[[CNBC]] |date=2013-03-20 |access-date=2015-04-09 |archive-date=2015-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417072453/http://www.cnbc.com/id/100573170 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/faux-faux-fur-kerfuffle-nieman-marcus |title=A faux faux fur kerfuffle at Nieman Marcus |work=Marketplace.org |date=20 March 2013 |access-date=2015-04-09 |url-status=live |archive-date=2016-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105084626/http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/faux-faux-fur-kerfuffle-nieman-marcus}}</ref>

On 19&nbsp;September 2014, the HSUS announced Kohl's had been selling common raccoon dog fur as faux fur.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=6595 |title=Kohl's sells real fur as 'faux' again – The Humane Society of the United States |work=Humanesociety.org |access-date=2015-04-09 |archive-date=2015-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506195455/https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=6595 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Raccoon#Distribution in Japan|Raccoon in Japan]]

== References ==
{{reflist|25em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite EB1911|mode=cs2|first= |last= |wstitle=Raccoon-dog |display=Raccoon-dog |ref={{harvid|EB|1911}} |volume=22 |page=774}}.

== External links ==
{{Wikispecies|Nyctereutes procyonoides}}
{{Commons category|Nyctereutes procyonoides}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070413095833/http://www.canids.org/species/Nyctereutes_procyonoides.htm Raccoon Dog]—detailed authoritative article on the website of The Canid Specialist Group (CSG) of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101107014415/http://gpsed.com/track/7890159070006756588 A track of Raccoon dog's introduction in Europe on GPSed.com]—a long way to Europe
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080625021140/http://www.canids.org/PUBLICAT/CNDNEWS2/racoondg.htm World Conservation Union]—article on raccoon dogs
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050412065248/http://animal.discovery.com/guides/mammals/habitat/tempforest/raccoondog.html Animal Planet]—basic information, image

{{Carnivora|Ca.}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q133189}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nyctereutes]]
[[Category:Mammals of Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of China]]
[[Category:Mammals of Korea]]
[[Category:Mammals of Vietnam]]
[[Category:Fauna of Siberia]]
[[Category:Mammals of East Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1834]]
[[Category:Taxa named by John Edward Gray]]