Habitat Use of Raccoon Dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in and around Showa Kinen National Government Park, Tokyo

Abstract

Our objective is to clarify the habitat of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) that live in and around an urban park. From 2004 through 2007, we investigated the home ranges, resting sites and habitat preferences of fourteen raccoon dogs by using radio-telemetry around Showa Kinen National Government Park, Tokyo. The preference of the raccoon dogs for habitat categories was inferred from classifying the study area, which was divided into 1ha cells according to six habitat categories (woodland, grassland, turf area, woody urban area and woody park, urban area, bare area) . Almost all individuals preferred the woodland and grassland, avoiding the turf area, woody urban area and woody park, urban area and bare area all day. In addition they depended on the park and the vegetation areas around the park for their habitation. Twenty-one resting sites were found in the study area, and fourteen of them were in woodland or grassland. Home ranges of the twelve individuals included a part of the park. Nine of them had their resting sites outside of the park. These used the park only in the nighttime, mainly as feeding sites. We found that raccoon dogs living in and around the park didnt always have dependence on urban areas.