Tanuki: the racoon dog

Tanuki or raccon dog

Is from east Asia, It is considered a basal canid species, resembling ancestral forms of the family. The Raccoon Dog is named for its resemblance to the raccon, which it is not closely related.

The Raccoon Dog is native to China, Japana, Korea and part of Siberia. Average adult head and body length is about 65 cm and weight ranges from 4 to 10 kg. Average litters are large, up to 15 or more pups.

They can live 3–4 years in the wild and up to 11 years in captivity. The species is found in both plains and mountainous regions and is especially common in forest. In Asia Raccoon Dog populations have declined in recent years due to hunting, fur trade.