Presence of raccoon (Procyon lotor) in Doñana National Park and its surroundings

Abstract

Linnaeus, 1758) is a procyonid carnivore with an opportunistic behavior, native from the Nearctic region (North and Central America). Its broad natural range and the high densities which can reach in suburban areas demonstrate a great adaptive success to different ecosystems and a great capability to colonize anthropogenic environments (Rosatte 2000, Kays 2009). The interest of the fur industry on this species and the recent popularity as pets has led to its gradual introduction into the wild in Europe, Central Asia and Japan by means of deliberate or accidental releases (Ikeda