Food habitats of the raccoon dog in Tokachi, Hokkaido

Abstract

The dietary habits of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in the Hokkaido and Kyusyu regions of Japan differ depending on their habitats. Information on the dietary habits of raccoon dogs in Hokkaido is limited to populations distributed in the forested areas of the central region and Okushiri Island. We aimed to understand the dietary habits of raccoon dogs in Tokachi, Eastern Hokkaido, by analyzing their stomach contents. Raccoon dog carcasses were collected between December 2021 and November, 2022. Eleven food groups (17 food items) were identified from the stomach contents of 38 raccoon dogs. The frequencies of occurrence and percentage volumes were calculated using the point-frame method. The frequency of occurrence and percentage volume of grasses (94.7 and 18.1%, respectively) and insects (71.1 and 13.5%, respectively) were high. These items are thought to be important foods for raccoon dogs in Hokkaido because they are frequently foraged on, as per the results of a previous study on their dietary habits. Our findings suggest that raccoon dogs forage on grasses, concentrated feed, and maggots within and around livestock sheds in winter, when food is scarce. The presence of multiple food items affected the dietary selection of the raccoon dogs.