I've been surprised to see current articles about the tanuki &/or raccoon-dogs (some sources say they're identical; others say the tanuki are only one species of raccoon-dog -- but they don't say what the others are) that describe them as becoming invasive pests in Western Europe. Supposedly tanuki were imported into Western Russian fur farms, escaped, and have been spreading westward.
Similar to stories about Hermann Göring importing North American raccoons into Germany in the 1930s for hunting; their escaping into the wilds during World War II bombing raids; and their spreading throughout Europe since then.
I've been surprised to see current articles about the tanuki &/or raccoon-dogs (some sources say they're identical; others say the tanuki are only one species of raccoon-dog -- but they don't say what the others are) that describe them as becoming invasive pests in Western Europe. Supposedly tanuki were imported into Western Russian fur farms, escaped, and have been spreading westward.
Similar to stories about Hermann Göring importing North American raccoons into Germany in the 1930s for hunting; their escaping into the wilds during World War II bombing raids; and their spreading throughout Europe since then.
Have any tanuki and raccoons met in the wild?
https://www.themarysue.com/raccoon-dog-invasion/
Fred Patten