Common Raccoon

Common Raccoon(North American Raccoon)(Procyon lotor)	
Common Raccoon(North American Raccoon)(Procyon lotor)
Invasive Status 	Invasive Status
Invasive 	Population increasing
Natural Range 	Natural Range
*North America 	
*North America
Introduced Range	Introduced Range
*West and central Europe	
*West and central Europe
Pathways 	Pathways
Zoological parks
Fur trade	
Zoological parks
Fur trade
Impacts 	Impacts
Predation of native species
Spread of illness and parasites
Property damage	
Predation of native species
Spread of illness and parasites
Property damage
Control Methods 	Control Methods
Privately-funded extermination	
Privately-funded extermination
The common raccoon (Procyon lotor), known also as the northern raccoon, North American raccoon, just raccoon or colloquially even coon, is the most familiar of the three raccoon species. It has been introduced into Germany from USA and, having adapted to the local conditions, has spread it's range into the surrounding countries.
==Foots==
===Natural Range===
The common raccoon is native North America, with it's range covering the whole of mainland North America excluding east Panama, part of north Baja California, parts of the Colorado Plateau and most of Canada, as well as the whole of Alaska. This northern range barrier is around the 53rd parallel north (53 latitudinal degrees), though parts of the range extend beyond this, or not as far as this. [1]
=== Introduced Range ===
The raccoon is present throughout much of Germany and centers around this country, as it is also present in north-east France, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium, Hungary, Poland, Belarus, parts of former Yugoslavia and European Russia.
The species has even reached as far as Spain, with populations in Madrid, Guadalajara and Mallorca. [5]
Additionally, a common raccoon was spotted in the wild in Cork county, Republic of Ireland in 2011 (as evidenced by a photograph). This sparked concern but no additional sightings have been made. The raccoon was probably only a single escapee (probably a pet) and not part of an invasive population. [4]
==Pathways and Introduction==
The first European common raccoons were animals from the Zoological Garden of Hamburg were released in Northern Hesse in Germany in 1927. A further two pairs were released in the same region in 1934. More were released near Berlin in 1935. The first European litter was recorded 20km from the release site in Hesse in 1951. Raccoon fur farms were set up in Berlin during the Second World War, from which some raccoons escaped. [2]
Common raccoons were introduced into European Russia in 1936, as well as Belarus (then Belorussia) in 1954 and 1958. Most of these populations died out but in northern Caucasus and the north-west coasts of the Black Sea populations were established and expanded. [2]
Both populations expanded further to the range observed nowadays. [2]
Additional, more sporadic populations probably developed from released or escaped pets. [5]
==Impacts==
Common raccoons take eggs from bird nests and are also effective predators of amphibians. Raccoons also carry raccoon roundworm, a parasite which can be dangerous to other mammal and even bird species. Other infections could also be transmitted by the raccoons to other species, possibly including humans.**** Such diseases include rabies which, though wiped out in Western Europe, are still present in Eastern Europe.
Additionally, raccoons can attempt to make shelter in house attics and damage the properties in the process, for example by damaging insulation. [6]
==Control and Removal Methods==
The most notable method for removal of the common raccoon is by privately-funded extermination, including the use of purpose-built traps. [6]
==Sources==
 1 National Geographic
 2 NOBANIS invasive species fact sheet (pdf)
 3 NOBANIS (website)
4 National Biodiversity Data Centre national invasive species database (R. o. Ireland)
5 Science Daily: "Raccoons spread dangerous diseases as they invade Europe, Spanish researchers find"
6 Spiegel Online: "Raccoon Invasion: Germany Overrun by Hordes of Masked Omnivores"
Category:Mammals
Category:Procyonids
Category:Germany
Category:France
Category:Netherlands
Category:Austria
Category:Switzerland
Category:Luxembourg
Category:Czech Republic
Category:Slovakia
Category:Belgium
Category:Hungary
Category:Poland
Category:Belarus
Category:Russia
Category:Spain
Category:Animals
Category:UK