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Tanuki (狸 Nyctereutes procyonoides) is the
Japanese name for an animal known as Raccoon Dog in English. They are
members of the
canid family and are considered to be a species of
dog although they are often confused with
raccoons and
badgers.
Tanuki are native to
Japan, southeastern
Siberia, and
Manchuria but now range as far as
Scandinavia and
France. Average adult head and body length is about 65 cm and weight
ranges from 4 to 10kg. Average litters consist of 5 pups. Longevity is 3-4
years in the wild and 11 years in captivity. They are found in both plains
and mountainous regions and are especially common in woodlands.
Like other canines, they are omnivorous however their diets are
atypically diverse consisting of invertebrates, frogs, lizards, rodents
and birds along with seeds and berries. Those living near the ocean will
also eat crabs and scavenged marine life.
Along with
kitsune they are prominent in Japanese folklore. Tanuki are reputed to
be mischievous and jolly and masters of disguise and shape-changing. In
Super Mario Bros 3,
Mario has the ability to change into a Tanuki by using a leaf
power-up. The suit is called a Tanooki Suit in the game; Mario gains the
power to turn into a statue while he is wearing a Tanooki Suit.
Statues of Tanuki disguised in human form can be found outside many
Japanese restaurants. The characteristics of these statues include a flat
cone-shaped hat, a big protruding belly and two big drum-like scrotums
touching the ground. According to the legends, the scrotums are used as
drums.
In Chinese language, the term li (狸 and 貍
pinyin li2) are used interchangeably, but the writing of the former
uses the canine radical while the latter uses the feline radical. That
indicates that the Chinese didn't know how to classify this animal. In
modern Chinese usage, the term 狐貍 are used together to refer to fox and
the term 貍 is seldom used alone to refer a specific animal. The
civet is called a xiang li (香貍).
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