Post #13972

Raccoon Dog: A Soviet Experiment That Gone Wrong The USSR was not afraid of large-scale experiments. But not every one of them went according to plan. This is what happened with the raccoon dog. Instead of bringing “fur gold” to the country, this beast is still robbing all over Europe! The homeland of the raccoon dog is the Far East and Japan. In Japanese mythology, the beast is called a tanuki - a merry fellow, a joker, a big lover of sake and one of the most popular characters in folklore. In life, a raccoon dog is a small animal: length up to 80 cm with tail, weight 4-6 kg. Outwardly it resembles a raccoon: gray-black color, thick fur, bandit mask. But don’t be fooled: our hero belongs to the canine family, his closest relatives are foxes. The true similarity with a raccoon is its absolute unpretentiousness and adaptability. Our hero is the most “herbivorous predator”. Unlike wolves and foxes, the raccoon dog does not bother itself with active hunting, but is engaged in gathering. Fruits, vegetables, grains, carrion, fish, shellfish - everything is included in her diet. In winter, when nature is not generous, the raccoon brilliantly hibernates - the only canine representative capable of this! In the 1930s, the USSR decided to “enrich” nature and imported the raccoon dog for its valuable fur. From the 30s to the 50s, about 10 thousand individuals were released in 76 regions of the USSR. The animal has not taken root in Central Siberia - the winter is too long. But in the European part of the country I felt at home. And the problems began. Raccoon dogs began their independent expansion beyond the USSR - they penetrated Scandinavia, central and western Europe. And then it turned out: raccoon fur is much more valuable. In a raccoon dog, it is rougher, does not warm, quickly gets wet and turns into a rag. At the same time, the beast became a real threat to local inhabitants. The badgers were the first to suffer. The raccoon occupies other people's holes and creates such unsanitary conditions that the rightful owners leave their homes. Raccoon dogs are also super prolific: the female and male together raise 6-10 puppies, sometimes up to 19! The young become independent at 4.5 months. The raccoon occupied the niche of a swamp hunter, which no local predator could occupy. Local birds are accustomed to the fact that it is safe to nest in swamps. The raccoon masterfully ruins them! In some regions, birds make up almost half of the animal's diet. Due to its omnivorous nature, the raccoon has become a collection of pathogens - it spreads rabies, fleas, and parasitic worms. Moreover, he himself does not suffer from some diseases, but he spreads the infection very well. When people realized the consequences of the experiments, it was too late. The population can no longer be controlled—about 130 thousand individuals live in Russia alone. And in Sweden they had to implement a strict control program. But there is also a benefit: t