Shanghai's raccoon dogs find urban coexistence 'sweet spot'
City's residents learning to live with wild animals previously thought of as pests
Raccoon dogs are generally not aggressive toward humans and do not view people as prey. In an urban environment, they are shy, nocturnal and highly conflict-averse.
Since 2022, the Shanghai Forestry Station, the Fudan institute, and the Shan Shui Conservation Center, a Beijing-based non-profit environmental organization, have jointly conducted annual surveys on raccoon dogs throughout the city.
The results of the latest survey included public concerns such as whether raccoon dogs getting sick would have an impact on humans living in the same community.
Shanghai's urban environment has abundant habitats and food resources, and with less competitive pressure from other species, this attracts some wild animals into the city.
According to the results of the surveys, Shanghai's thousands of raccoon dogs are distributed in more than 300 areas across the city, primarily in residential compounds and urban green spaces.
Based on results collected from online questionnaires and citizen hotline complaints last summer, 112 residential communities across the city reported raccoon dog activity between January 2024 and April 2025.
Over 500 citizen volunteers and professionals conducted multiple comprehensive surveys in those communities spanning nine districts. They collected transect survey data covering more than 560 kilometers and gathered 440 questionnaires regarding residents' attitudes toward raccoon dogs.
