Rare raccoon dog spotted in Wuxi's Daxigang wetland park

In recent days, the presence of a national second-level protected animal, the raccoon dog, was discovered at the Daxigang Wetland Park in Xinwu district, Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province.

"Compared to the easily visible plants and birds flying in the open skies, smaller creatures hidden in the forest are not so easily observed," said investigator Han Qian. She explained that the raccoon dog is a unique animal in East Asia and an ancient species within the canine family.

A raccoon dog. [Photo/wifiwx.com]

Physically resembling a red panda or raccoon, the raccoon dog possesses distinctive markings around its eyes. It prefers to inhabit areas near water within broad-leaved forests, thick shrubbery, and reed fields. These creatures are primarily active during the nighttime.

Spanning a total area of 3.8 million square meters, the Daxigang Wetland Park was designated as a provincial-level wetland park in March 2016. The wetland's exceptional natural conditions have been attracting more and more types of wildlife, becoming an ideal habitat for both flora and fauna.

To date, the Daxigang Wetland Park has documented 178 species of protected birds and 467 species of protected plants.

The Daxigang Wetland Park in Xinwu district, Wuxi, Jiangsu province. [Photo/wifiwx.com]