Japanese raccoon dog

The face is bordered with white fur and the area around the eyes is dark brown.

Scientific name	Nyctereutes viverrinus viverrinus
English name	Japanese raccoon dog
Japanese name	本土狸
Classification	Mammalia
Classification details	Carnivora Canidae
Full length	40-50cm.
Distribution	Distributed in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

Characteristics

This article introduces the subspecies Hondo Tanuki.

It is generally brown, but the area around its face and from its front legs to its shoulders is whitish brown. It is about 50cm long, making it slightly smaller than a Shiba Inu.

It is whitish brown from its forehead to its nose, and the area around its eyes is covered with black fur. The outline of its ears is round. Its irises are brown.

When it grows its winter fur, its whole body looks plump and round.

Ecology

It lives in rural areas, riverbeds, and urban areas. It is omnivorous and will eat anything. It is nocturnal, and mainly active at night, but it may come out in the morning or during the day.

It breeds in the spring and raises its young in the summer.

Habitat

Midstream of Tama River during the day

When I went out to the riverbed to observe birds, a raccoon dog appeared by the water's edge. It was daytime, but it was walking leisurely, wandering around for a while, relaxing in the sun, and then returning to the depths of the grass.