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Raccoon-dog - NYCTEREUCTES PROCYONOIDES
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Dog": "Dog" comes from from the Old English word "daga." Although the resemblance to a raccoon is startling, it is not closely related to a raccoon. As you can see by its family name "Canidae," Latin for "dog," this animal is definitely a dog.
Location: Originally in northern Asia, now spreading rapidly into central and northern Europe.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Deciduous forests.
Description: The legs are short and covered with a coat which is almost black. The tail is short and bushy. The body is dark brown and yellowish (because of the yellow tips of the hairs). Among the dog family, this species has the least bladelike teeth, and there is often an extra upper molar, bringing the total number of teeth to 44. The length of the head and body is about 24 inches with a tail of about 7 inches. Its weight is about 16 pounds.
Behavior: This is a solitary, nocturnal creature which moves with great caution in dense woodlands and forests, especially in the presence of humans. It lives in a deep burrow dug in the ground. In winter it enters a state of lethargy, the length of which depends on the harshness of the climate. It is omnivorous.
Reproduction: Breeding begins in February or March, and there is a variable gestation period. There are usually six young per litter, but sometimes as many as 12. The young reach adult size by fall.
Note: In its original distribution area it has been hunted almost to extinction; in Japan at this time it is considered an endangered species and is protected.
Go to the Carnivore Page to learn more about all the meat-eating animals.
Or go to the Dog Index to study other
wild dogs.
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