Skip to main content

Home ranges of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides, Gray, 1834) in Southern Brandenburg, Germany

European Journal of Wildlife Research volume 58, pages 85–97 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

The raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, a medium-sized canid, is a representative of the East Asian fauna and has been introduced to Europe during the years 1928–1953. Today, this alien carnivore is a widespread species in Eastern Europe, Finland and Germany. In our study, we determined home range sizes of raccoon dogs in an agricultural landscape in Northeast Germany between 2001 and 2004 by very high frequency radio tracking. Those data are useful for estimation of predator densities in respect to conservation of biodiversity and also to develop models for disease and parasite transmission. Yearly average home range sizes were calculated as 95% fixed kernel: 1.83 km2 ± 1.54 and as 50% fixed kernel (=core areas): 0.50 km2 ± 0.49. We documented seasonal differences in home range sizes as well as overlapping of home ranges from 0.65% up to 67%. Some individuals’ home ranges recorded during the same season showed a clear shifting between different years. Abandoned badger dens, located in the core areas of raccoon dogs home ranges, were important during the whole year and particularly used in the winter period. Therefore, distribution of those dens had some influence on the spatial distribution of raccoon dogs in the study area. Based on mean annual home range size, we estimated the mean local population density during winter as 1.1 individuals per square kilometre and during summer as 4.90 individuals per square kilometre.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

References

  • Anonymous (2008) Jagdbericht des Landes Brandenburg des Jagdjahres 2006/07. (Ministerium für Ländliche Entwicklung, Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz des Landes Brandenburg, ed.), Potsdam, Germany

  • Anonymous (2009) Jagdbericht für Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Jagdjahr 2007/2008. (Ministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft, Forsten und Fischerei des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, ed.), Schwerin, Germany

  • Ansorge H (1998) Biologische Daten des Marderhundes aus der Oberlausitz. Abhandlungs berichte Naturkundemuseum Görlitz 70(1):47–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Asikainen J, Mustonen AM, Hyvärinrn H, Nieminen P (2004) Seasonal physiology of the wild raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). Zool Sci 21:385–391

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boitani L, Fuller KT (2000) Research techniques in animal ecology, controversies and consequences. Columbia University Press, New York, pp 1–435

    Google Scholar 

  • Börger L, Franconi N, De Michele G, Gantz A, Meschi F, Manica A, Lovari S, Coulson T (2006) Effects of sampling regime on the mean and variance of home range size estimates. J Anim Ecol 75:1393–1405

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown JL, Orians GH (1970) Spacing patterns in mobile animals. Ann Rev Ecolog Syst 1:239–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burt WH (1943) Territoriality and home range concepts as applied to mammals. J Mammal 24:346–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Solla SR, Bonduriansky R, Brooks RJ (1999) Eliminating autocorrelation reduces biological relevance of home range estimates. J Anim Ecol 68:221–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon KR, Chapman JA (1980) Harmonic mean measure of animal activity areas. Ecology 61:1040–1044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drygala F, Stier N, Roth M (2002) Erste Ergebnisse zur Nahrungsökologie, Home-Range und Habitatnutzung des Marderhundes (Nyctereutes procyonoides)—eines invasiven Caniden in Ostdeutschland. Artenschutzreport, Heft 12

  • Drygala F, Stier N, Zoller H, Bögelsack K, Mix HM, Roth M (2008a) Habitat use of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in North-Eastern Germany. Mamm Biol 73:371–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drygala F, Stier N, Zoller H, Bögelsack K, Mix H, Roth M (2008b) Spatial organisation and intra-specific ralationship of the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides in Central Europe. Wildlife biol 14:457–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drygala F, Stier N, Zoller H, Mix H, Roth M (2008c) Ranging and parental care of the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides during pup rearing. Acta Theriol 53:111–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drygala F, Zoller H, Stier N, Roth M (2010) Dispersal of raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides into a newly invaded area in Central Europe. Wildlife biol 16:150–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckert J, Friedhoff KT, Zahner H, Deplazes P (2005) Lehrbuch der Parasitologie für die Tiermedizin. Euke Verlag, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • German Weather Service (2009) Available at http://www.dwd.de/bvbw/appmanager/bvbw/dwdwwwdesktop. Accessed 13 February 2009

  • Goszczynski J (1999) Fox, raccoon dog and badger densities in North Eastern Poland. Acta Theriol 44:413–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris S, Cresswell WJ, Forde PG, Trewhella WJ, Woolard T, Wray S (1990) Home-range analysis using radio-tracking data—a review of problems and techniques particularly as applied to the study of mammals. Mamm Rev 20:97–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hatlapa H-HM, Wiesner H (1982) Die Praxis der Wildtierimmobilisation. Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg und Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmala K, Kauhala K (2009) Habitat use of medium-sized carnivores in southeast Finland—key habitats for rabies spread? Ann Zool Fenn 46:233–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Hooge PN, Eichenlaub B (1997) Animal movement extension to arcview ver. 1.1. Alaska Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage

    Google Scholar 

  • Jedrzejewska B, Jedrzejewski W (1998) Predation in vertebrate communities. The Bialowieza Primeval Forest as a case study. Ecological studies, vol. 135. Springer, Berlin, pp 215–219

  • Judin VG (1977) Marderhund in Primorje und Amur-Gebiet. Nauka, Moscow

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K (1996) Reproductive strategies of the raccoon dog and the red fox in Finland. Acta Theriol 41:51–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K, Auttila M (2010) Habitat preferences of the native badger and the invasive raccoon dog in southern Finland. Acta Theriol 55:231–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K, Helle E (1995) Population ecology of the raccoon dog in Finland—a synthesis. Wildlife biol 1:3–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K, Holmala K (2006) Contact rate and risk of rabies spread between medium-sized carnivores in southeast Finland. Ann Zool Fenn 43:348–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K, Saeki M (2004) Raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides. In: Sillero-Zubiri C, Hoffmann M, Macdonald DW (eds) Status survey and conservation action plan. Canids: foxes, wolves, jackals and dogs. IUCN Publication Services, Cambridge, pp 136–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K, Helle E, Taskinen K (1993) Home range of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Southern Finland. J Zool 231:95–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K, Holmala K, Lammers W, Schregel J (2006) Home ranges and densities of medium-sized carnivores in South-East Finland with special reference to rabies spread. Acta Theriol 51:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kauhala K, Schregel J, Auttila M (2010) Habitat impact on raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides home range size in southern Finland. Acta Theriol 55(4):371–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenward RE (2001) A manual for wildlife radio tagging. Academic, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobylinska J (1996) The red fox and raccoon dog in wetlands of the Biebrza river valley—food composition and burrow use. J Wildl Res 1:186–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Kowalczyk R, Zalewski A (2011) Adaptation to cold and predation—shelter use by invasive raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides in Bialowieza Primeval Forest (Poland). Eur J Wildl Res 57:133–142. doi:10.1007/s10344-010-0406-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kowalczyk R, Jedrzejewska B, Zalewski A, Jedrzejewski W (2008) Facilitative interactions between the Eurasain badger (Meles meles), The red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and the invasive raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, Poland. Can J Zool Rev Can De Zool 86:1389–1396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landesvermessungsamt Brandenburg (1992) Topographische Karten, 1: 10,000, 4349-SO Lipten, 4349-SW Göllnitz, 1.Auflage

  • Möckel R, Göthel M, Kempa M, Hanspach D (2000) Studie zum künftigen Abfluss-verhalten der Kleinen Elster und der Schacke. Gesellschaft für Montan- und Bautechnik mbH, Senftenberg

  • Nasimovic AA, Isakow OA (1985) Nutztiere der UdSSR und ihre Lebensräume: Polarfuchs, Rotfuchs, Marderhund. Nutzung, Ökologie und geographische Zuordnung der Arten. Nauka, Moscow

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak E (1973) Ansiedlung und Ausbreitung des Marderhundes (Nycterutes procyonoides GRAY) in Europe. Beitr Jagd Wildforschung VIII:351–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak E (1993) Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1834)—Marderhund. In: Stubbe M, Krapp F (eds) Handbuch der Säugetiere Europas, vol 5/1. Aula Verlag, Wiesbaden, pp 215–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitra C, Schwarz S, Fickel J (2010) Going west—invasion genetics of the alien raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides in Europe. Eur J Wildl Res 56:117–129. doi:10.1007/S10344-009-0283-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers AR, Carr AP (2002) The home range extension for Arc View. Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Thunder Bay

  • Rudert S, Brown JL, Gansloßer U, Möbius G, Songsasen N (2010) Activity pattern, reproductive behaviors and gonadal hormones in the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). Zoo Biol 29:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Saeki M (2001) Ecology and conservation of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray) in Japan. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

  • Saeki M, Johnson PJ, MacDonald DW (2007) Movements and habitat selection of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in a mosaic landscape. J Mammal 88:1098–1111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz S, Sutor A, Staubach C, Mattis R, Tackmann K, Conraths FJ (2011) Estimated prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides in northern Brandenburg, Germany. Current Zoology 57(5) (in press)

  • Seaman E (1996) An evaluation of the accuracy of kernel density estimators for home range analysis. Ecology 77:2075–2085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stiebling U (1999) Zur Habitatnutzung des Marderhundes Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1834) in der uckermärkischen Agrarlandschaft: Ergebnisse zur Populationsdichte und—dynamik. Beitr Jagd Wildforschung 24:343–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Stiebling U (2000) Untersuchungen zur Habitatnutzung des Rotfuchses, Vulpes vulpes (L. 1758), in der Agrarlandschaft als Grundlage für die Entwicklung von Strategien des Natur- und Artenschutzes sowie der Tierseuchenbekämpfung. Dissertation, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Germany

  • Sutor A (2008) Dispersal of the alien raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides in Southern Brandenburg, Germany. Eur J Wildl Res 54:321–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutor A, Kauhala K, Ansorge H (2010) Diet of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)—a canid with an opportunistic foraging strategy. Acta Theriol 55:165–176. doi:10.40098/j.at0001-7051.035.2009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tae-Young C, Park CH (2006) Home-range of raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides living in the rural area of Korea. J Ecol Field Biol 29:259–263, in Korean with English summary

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thiess A, Schuster R, Nöckler K, Mix H (2001) Helminth findings in indigenous raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray 1834). Berl Münch Tierärztl Wochenschr 114:273–276

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wandeler A, Lüps P (1993) Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758)—Rotfuchs. In: Stubbe M, Krapp F (eds) Handbuch der Säugetiere Europas, vol 5/1. Aula Verlag, Wiesbaden, pp 139–193

    Google Scholar 

  • White GC, Garrott RA (1990) Analysis of wildlife radio-tracking data. Academic, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Woloch A, Roženko N (2007) Die Akklimatisation des Marderhundes (Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray, 1834) in der Südukraine. Beitr Jagd Wildforschung 32:409–422

    Google Scholar 

  • Worton BJ (1989) Kernel method for estimating the utilization distribution in home-range studies. Ecology 70:164–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The presented study was part of a 4-year research project on a raccoon dog population in Brandenburg, which provided data for the doctoral thesis of Astrid Sutor. This research was supported by the following organisations: CIC Internationaler Jagdrat zum Schutz des Wildes, Zoologische Gesellschaft Frankfurt, DBU Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, Förderverein Großtrappenschutz e.V. This study complies with current German laws. Thanks are also due to the scientific supervisor Prof. Dr. Ilse Storch, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management for her critical review. We also are very grateful to Dr. Claudia Schoene and Dr. Miriam Hansbauer, who both read the manuscript and gave constructive and helpful comments on it.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Institute of Forest Zoology, Albrecht-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79085, Freiburg, Germany

    Astrid Sutor

  2. Society for the Protection of the Great Bustard, Buckower Dorfstr. 34, 14715, Nennhausen, Germany

    Sabine Schwarz

Authors
  1. Astrid Sutor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sabine Schwarz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Astrid Sutor.

Additional information

Communicated by C. Gortázar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sutor, A., Schwarz, S. Home ranges of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides, Gray, 1834) in Southern Brandenburg, Germany. Eur J Wildl Res 58, 85–97 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-011-0546-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-011-0546-6

Keywords

  • Home range size
  • Nyctereutes procyonoides
  • Population density
  • Raccoon dog