Even in an office full of animal lovers, there are occasions when we are introduced to an animal we haven’t heard of before and that was definitely the case with the focus of today’s blog! Last week we learned of the Raccoon Dog, and as today is Valentine’s Day we wanted to share the love we have for this rather romantic animal with all of you!
So What Is Exactly Is A Raccoon Dog?
Raccoon dogs are members of the canid family, which means that they are related to domestic dogs, wolves, and many other dogs like mammals. They are however not closely related to the raccoon with which they share their name, they simply look an awful lot like them!
Where Do These Adorable Animals Live?
The raccoon dog is native to parts of Eastern Asia, but they have been introduced to portions of Europe and they have wasted no time in adapting to and thriving in their new home. They can now be found as far West as France, but they are often seen as an invasive species in European countries so their numbers are very tightly policed.
What Makes Them So Special?
Apart from the fact that they look so very similar to the raccoon, the raccoon dog has a host of other behaviours that make it stand out from the crowd. Firstly, these canids have the ability to climb trees in order to reach food and evade predators. There is only one other member of the canid family that has the ability to do this - the North American Gray Fox - and this is one characteristic which they share with raccoons.
These unique creatures are the only canids known to hibernate, and they do this in the cold winter months when they increase their body fat by up to 23%. This hibernation is not as deep as some other animals though, as if the raccoon dog gets hungry during this time it has the ability to wake up and track down a snack or two!
The other interesting characteristic that these cunning canids have is the fact that unlike other dogs they cannot bark! Instead they communicate with a growling sound usually followed by a melancholy whine.
It is Valentine’s Day, Can We Have A Bit Of Romance Please?
Females often get a tough time of things in the animal kingdom, frequently having to raise their young on their own, but the male raccoon dog is one of the best dads in the entire animal kingdom. These caring creatures band together to raise their young and the male will head off to forage for food to bring back to his pregnant mate. The monogamous male will also help to raise the pups after they are born, and after around 4 months, both parents will be there to see the youngsters off to begin their own lives. We told you that you would love the raccoon dog!
As you can see from the images in this blog, it is very hard not to fall in love with the raccoon dog! But if there is somebody out there that you love and would like to explore the world with this Valentine’s Day, take a look at our special offer which gives couples a 10% discount on a trip of their choice. Be quick though as this offer expires today!
