Raccoon dogs thriving in Shanghai communities

SHANGHAI — Raccoon dogs are ballooning in number and their habitats are expanding in Shanghai, a new survey of the crafty urban dwellers has shown.

The metropolis is home to about 25 million people and thousands of wild raccoon dogs, a State-protected mammal that roams city streets and residential complexes much like weasels in Beijing and foxes in London.

The latest study, conducted in the Songjiang district, found the mammal present in 22 out of 50 residential complexes, in numbers ranging from one to 50, with an average of 10.82 per compound.

The raccoon dog population is estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000, according to Wang Fang, a researcher with Fudan University, which conducted the study with the Shanghai Forestry Station and the Shan Shui Conservation Center.

Their density is related to neighborhood management. The improper feeding of stray cats and random disposal of kitchen waste, for instance, doubles the number of raccoon dogs in a residential area.

Eastern China’s financial hub was once home to many mammals, such as leopard cats, badgers and Siberian weasels, many of which lost their habitats as a result of rapid urbanization.

Raccoon dogs, however, have adapted to urbanization, and their population is rapidly increasing, Wang said, adding that they have also benefited from the expansion of the city’s green spaces, including wetlands and parks.

In recent years, they have become more frequently spotted, sometimes making it into the news for fighting with pet dogs.

The study is intended to help local authorities find ways for coexistence between city dwellers and their wild neighbors, according to Zheng Yunxiang, who works at the Shanghai Forestry Station.

“Reducing the feeding of strays and the proper disposal of kitchen garbage are key to controlling the raccoon dog population in residential areas, and to avoiding conflict between residents and wildlife,” Zheng said.