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News, video, newspaper articles, press releases, and podcasts about the project.
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26/04/2022
Citizen Science raccoon, raccoon dog and mink report via app
Actually, the raccoon comes from North America – but it is also spreading in Europe, meanwhile it can be seen quite often in Berlin, for example.
21/04/2022
Raccoons and raccoon dogs : infested with parasites
A research project is to show what damage raccoons, raccoon dogs and American minks cause in Europe. Initial results are unappetizing and worrying.
21/04/2022
Raccoons and Co. looked on the paws
With the help of the ZOWIAC app, interested parties can submit reports on the three species – with the aim of obtaining detailed, area-wide data on the distribution and occurrence of the potential disease vectors.
01/09/2021
The search for the origin
When diseases jump from animals to humans – a scenario whose effects we are currently experiencing worldwide
25/08/2021
Anna and the wild animals
The 88th episode is about the raccoon dog and its peculiarities and, among other things, what influence it has on our nature.
27/06/2021
Two furry animals conquer Europe
Originally from North America and Asia respectively, raccoons and raccoon dogs have already colonized large parts of Europe. Their advance is likely to be far from over.
05/05/2021
Raccoon dogs: Invasive Species and Potential Hosts for Sars-CoV-2
Researchers from Frankfurt sequence the genome of raccoon dogs and find evidence that the animals can transmit coronavirus.
04/05/2021
Virus host on the rise
Whole raccoon dog genome sequenced for the first time – potential for SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
16/04/2021
Introduced raccoons and raccoon dogs on the rise in Europe
Once they were brought to the European continent as fur and hunting animals. Now the animals are opening up ever larger areas
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08/10/2023
Since 2019, the raccoon dog has been listed as an invasive species of Union concern and is suspected of having a negative impact on native biodiversity and endangering human and animal health. In this study, 73 raccoon dogs from Germany were examined for their parasitization and diet. Twenty parasite species were identified, six of which have human pathogenic potential, e.g. Echinococcus multilocularis. Predation on a large number of animals was also demonstrated, including protected species such as the grass frog. In addition, a connection between nutrition and parasitization could be deduced.

Schantz AV, Dörge, DD, Peter N, Klimpel S (2023). The hidden threat: Exploring the parasite burden and feeding habits of invasive raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in central Europe. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 22, 155–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.10.004
05/09/2023
The raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, which originates from Asia, is an invasive species that is increasingly spreading in Europe. This is associated with the risk of introducing and spreading various pathogens, such as the fox tapeworm or Trichinella. The aim of this study from Romania was to investigate the occurrence of Trichinella larvae in tanuki found there by artificially digesting muscle tissue and amplifying and sequencing larvae using multiplex PCR. As a result, Trichinella britovi was detected for the first time in raccoon dogs in Romania, confirming the role of the raccoon dog as a vector for pathogens.

Marin AM, et al. 2023. The First Identification of Trichinella britovi in the Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Romania. Pathogens 12, 1132. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091132
08/07/2023
The raccoon, which is invasive in Europe, continues to spread in its new range. As a carrier of various parasites and other pathogens, it is suspected of posing a health risk. With this in mind, 102 raccoons from Baden-Württemberg were examined for intestinal parasites in this study between 2019 and 2020. Four nematode, three cestode and three trematode species were found. Of the raccoons examined, 72.3% were infested with at least one of the parasite species. 6 of the identified parasite species have a human pathogenic potential. These results indicate that raccoons can certainly pose a risk of infection.

Reinhardt NP, Wassermann M, Härle J, Romig T, Kurzrock L, Arnold J, Großmann E, Mackenstedt U, Straubinger RK (2023) Helminths in Invasive Raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Southwest Germany. Pathogens. 12(7):919. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12070919
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