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Animal profile

Raccoon Dog

Nyctereutes procyonoides

MammaliaDeciduous and mixed forest, river valleys, wetland margins and farmlandLeast Concern

Field profile

The raccoon dog is a small, stocky canid with a facial mask that resembles a raccoon's despite no close relationship. It is omnivorous and monogamous, and it is the only canid that undergoes a genuine winter dormancy. It was introduced to western Russia for fur and has since spread widely across Europe.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-04-21

Raccoon Dog

The raccoon dog is the only canid that hibernates

In the cold parts of its range the raccoon dog lays down fat through autumn and then enters a winter dormancy, with reduced metabolism and long periods in a den. No other member of the dog family does this.

Read with evidence →

Raccoon Dog | Daily Animal Facts