Introduced raccoons and raccoon dogs on the rise in Europe

They come from very different parts of the world, but they have a lot in common: the North American raccoon (Procyon lotor) and the Asian-origin raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). Both species are roughly the same size, have a distinctive black “facial mask,” and are highly adaptable omnivores. They also share a fate: raccoon dogs and raccoons were brought to Europe in the 20th century as fur-bearing and game animals, and have since increasingly spread across the continent. Both species are now established in Austria as well.