Urban myths about Raccoon Dogs (and other mammals) (1 Viewer)

Sangahyando · Jun 19, 2020

There's this recurring notion on the internet about Raccoon Dogs being able to climb, or even good climbers. However, I've never found that confirmed in the literature and judging from their physiology, it doesn't look very plausible. Admittedly, I haven't dug very deep. Is there anything to it or is it just a persistent myth made up by people who cannot seem to distinguish between a raccoon and a dog?

Speaking of raccoons, there's also this notion that Raccoon Dogs were somehow as close as, or closer, to procyonids (i.e. raccoons) than to other, actual, dogs. This seems to be founded on a misinterpretation of phylogeny.

jurek · Jun 19, 2020

They cannot, normally.

However, I saw with my own eyes a Red Fox which was kept in a cage designed for climbing animals in a zoo. The fox learned to run along thin branches like a marten.

Farnboro John · Jun 19, 2020

jurek said:
They cannot, normally.

However, I saw with my own eyes a Red Fox which was kept in a cage designed for climbing animals in a zoo. The fox learned to run along thin branches like a marten.

Red Foxes are agile, they will both climb over and run along the top of garden fences. Not so sure about Raccoon Dogs!

John

Spike Millington · Jun 19, 2020

Last year, raccoon dogs swam over to an island located in a reservoir in Incheon, Korea and ate all the eggs and chicks of a Black-faced Spoonbill colony on the island. This year, local officials built a fence around the island. This year, no raccoon dogs and lots of baby spoonbills .....

Mind you, I think they may have electrified the fence, too

Welsh Peregrine · Jun 20, 2020

If raccoon dogs were as close or closer to procyonids as other canids, then they would have to be transferred to procyonids, or the two families would need to be merged. As you say, not phylogenetically possible.

Farnboro John · Jun 20, 2020

Spike Millington said:
Last year, raccoon dogs swam over to an island located in a reservoir in Incheon, Korea and ate all the eggs and chicks of a Black-faced Spoonbill colony on the island. This year, local officials built a fence around the island. This year, no raccoon dogs and lots of baby spoonbills .....

Mind you, I think they may have electrified the fence, too

First one I saw was swimming across a channel in the reedbeds at Siikalahti in Finland, they seem to be very competent and confident swimmers.

John

Sangahyando · Jun 20, 2020

Spike Millington said:
Mind you, I think they may have electrified the fence, too

Yeah, incidentally that's pretty much the only thing that helps against foxes (other than perhaps a moat filled with sharks or lava).

Urban myths about Raccoon Dogs (and other mammals) (1 Viewer)

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