Raccoons could expand their natural range to parts of the UK, according to a new study.
German scientists looked at data on the raccoon and the bizarre-looking raccoon dog and predicted where they might survive in Europe.
Raccoons, known for ransacking bins, could live in urban and coastal areas, such as Liverpool, London and much of England’s south coast.
Currently, there are no raccoons in the British wilderness, but the study indicates that if they were introduced illegally or escaped from captivity, they would likely thrive.
Raccoon dogs, a fox-like dog, could spread even further across the British Isles than the raccoon, which includes much of Scotland and Ireland, the data showed.
Both animals are considered invasive species and are on the EU watch list of foreign animals that could conquer new land and cause ecological damage.
The animals are highly resilient, can survive in a variety of conditions, and have the potential to transmit parasites to humans, experts warn.
The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is native to North America, while the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) is native to Asia – and is considered a potential reservoir of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is native to North America and is known for its distinctive black mask around its eyes with white fur around the mask
This map shows in red where the raccoon’s potential range is in Europe. The colored areas are a suitable habitat for the animal and include parts of the UK
This map from the Invasive Species Compendium shows the current European range of the raccoon (Procyon lotor) spanning 20 countries
Last July, a raccoon dog was spotted in rural Wales – before being caught and dropped off.
While it is not illegal to keep a raccoon dog as a pet, the RSPCA strongly “ discourages ” people from doing so as they are “ not fit to live in a domestic environment as pets, ” the charity told MailOnline .
Both species were brought to Europe in the 20th century for fur farming and as prey for hunters, and have since spread over large areas.
According to the Invasive Species Compendium, the raccoon and raccoon dog can be found in 20 and 33 countries in Europe, respectively.
But there is a risk that these species will spread further and expand their range in Europe beyond their current range, which could push these numbers up.
Screenshot from the Invasive Species Compendium, a database from the Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI). It shows the current global range of the raccoon (Procyon lotor)
“In Europe, the animals do not yet occupy all regions with suitable climatic conditions – that is, regions that are potential habitats for them,” said study author Dr. Judith Kochmann of Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center in Frankfurt.
Therefore, it is likely that the supply of raccoon and raccoon dogs in Europe will increase significantly in the future.
Raccoons and raccoon dogs are flexible in their habitat and diet. In addition, they have few or no natural enemies in Europe.
‘We therefore assume that their natural distribution is mainly limited by the climate, and in that respect there is still room for expansion.’
Raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) are not raccoons, but members of the canid (dog) family. They are native to the forests of Eastern Siberia, North China, North Vietnam, Korea and Japan and are now widespread in some European countries
Map showing the projected climate area in Europe, highlighted in red for the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). The range is even wider for the raccoon dog, which has a greater tolerance for colder temperatures than the raccoon
As they spread, raccoons and raccoon dogs can contain infectious agents, such as parasites and viruses, which can also be passed on to humans.
“Raccoons transmit the raccoon roundworm and are considered reservoir hosts for the West Nile virus,” said study co-author Dr. Sven Klimpel of Goethe University in Frankfurt.
Raccoon dogs have similar pathogens, including lyssaviruses that cause rabies, canine distemper viruses, and the fox tapeworm.
In addition, raccoon dogs are currently suspected to be reservoir hosts for coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2).
The researchers are currently investigating exactly which pathogens are carried by these two species.
For their study, researchers explored areas where the two species can experience climatic conditions similar to their native range, and therefore find a suitable habitat.
Compendium for Invasive Species with the Current Global Range of the Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). It is widespread across Asia and much of Europe, but not in North America like the raccoon
Compendium for invasive species with the current European range of the raccoon dog – note its prominence in Scandinavia compared to the raccoon
A total of 6,911 records of the location of raccoons in their native US and 192 of raccoon dogs from Asia were studied to determine the parts of Europe where the animals might live.
The team used eight variables to analyze the temperature and precipitation conditions under which the two species have been documented to thrive in their home region.
From this information, they deduced the animals’ climatic niches – where conditions are just right for the species to survive.
The habitats with a suitable climate for raccoons and raccoon dogs largely overlap in Europe, they reveal.
The raccoon dog can spread more quickly to Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, while raccoons are likely to colonize mostly southern regions including London, Cornwall, Merseyside and Brighton in the UK.
This difference is likely due to the fact that raccoon dogs tolerate cooler winter temperatures – a behavior that may have contributed to its successful spread to Northern Europe, according to the study authors.
“Procyon lotor appears to find suitable habitats in all coastal areas, but cannot reach higher altitudes,” say the authors.
In future research, the scientists plan to expand their approach to include land use data, allowing for improved, small-scale models to be developed.
These will serve as a basis for future management measures aimed at controlling the populations of both species.
The study is published in Mammal Review.