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Also known as raccoon and coon, this animal is commonly referred to as a fox-like creature. It is found in various countries including China, Denmark, Russia, Japan, North Korea, Mongolia, and others. In China, it is widely distributed across almost all provinces and regions.
**First, Biological Characteristics**
**(I) Taxonomic Status**
This omnivorous fur-bearing animal belongs to the phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, family Canidae, and genus Nyctereutes. Native to China, it has several subspecies such as Wusuli, Artichoke, Amur, Jiangsu, Vietnam, Hubei, and Yunnan. However, it is commonly divided into northern and southern types based on their geographic distribution—northern populations are typically larger, while southern ones are smaller.
**(II) Morphological Features**
The body is short and thick, resembling a fox with a small head and slender limbs. The front paws have five toes, with the first one being short and not touching the ground. Its fur is long and fluffy, with pale hairs on the cheeks, gray-brown facial markings, and black long hairs. A distinctive "eight" shape pattern of black fur runs from the head to below the ears. The back hair base is yellowish or slightly orange, with black tips, while the underbelly is gray-brown. The sides are lighter, ranging from grayish yellow to brownish yellow. The belly hairs are yellowish or grayish, with short needles and no black tips. All limbs are dark brown, and the tail is fluffy, with a gray-brown back and lighter ventral color. The center hair is clearly black, and there are slight vertical lines. Adult individuals weigh between 6–7 kg, with a body length of 59–65 cm and a tail length of 15–17 cm. Some can reach up to 10 kg. Northern populations tend to be larger, with weights ranging from 5–9.8 kg, body lengths of 50–82 cm, and tail lengths of 18–23 cm. Southern populations are generally smaller.
**(III) Life Habits**
Wild raccoons live in river valleys, grasslands, barren hills, wastelands, and near streams, often taking shelter in tree holes, rock crevices, fox dens, or other animals’ nests. Domesticated raccoons are kept in cages, pens, or sheds, and can also live among hay or straw, provided the environment is dry.
They are omnivores with a complex diet, eating fish, crabs, frogs, birds, insects, and even animal feces, as well as fruits, seeds, roots, and leaves. Domesticated ones are fed fish, meat, eggs, milk, blood, by-products, grains, cakes, vegetables, and feed additives. They are nocturnal, resting during the day and becoming active in the evening or early morning. Their movements are slow and clumsy, but they can climb trees and swim. They have poor hearing and tend to move in straight lines. They often confuse hunters by wandering aimlessly around the den. They do not form groups, usually living in pairs or families.
Most raccoons defecate in fixed spots, a behavior known as "fecal accumulation." Wild ones prefer sheltered areas near their dens, while domestic ones often defecate in corners of their cages. They also hibernate during winter, reducing activity and food intake to conserve energy. Under captivity, hibernation is less pronounced, but they still show reduced activity and appetite. Their natural predators include wolves, wild boars, and birds of prey, so special care must be taken to prevent wolf infestations in breeding facilities.
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