Overwintering strategy of wild free-ranging and enclosure-housed Japanese raccoon dogs (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Nyctereutes procyonoides albus</Emphasis>) |
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Authors: | Naoya Kitao Daisuke Fukui Masaaki Hashimoto Peter G Osborne |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Physiology, Asahikawa Medical College, Midorigaoka-higashi, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan;(2) Asahikawa Municipal Asahiyama Zoological Park and Wildlife Conservation Center, Kuranuma, Higashi-asahikawa, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8205, Japan;(3) Baongong Agri-Science Center, No. 31-1, Alley 18, Lane 791, Taidong City, 950, Taiwan |
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Abstract: | The raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides, is a canid with a passive overwintering strategy in northern Europe. However, the behaviour and physiology of the Japanese
subspecies, N. p. albus, which has fewer chromosomes than the other subspecies, remain unknown. We measured body temperature, body composition and
blood biochemistry of wild free-ranging and fasted enclosure-housed N. p. albus during boreal winter in Hokkaido, Japan. Body temperature of N. p. albus decreased from 38°C in autumn to 35.9–36.7°C while maintaining a circadian rhythm in late February (n = 3). A transient 18–36% decrease in resting heart rate occurred when body temperature was low (n = 2). Despite a 33–45% decrease in body weight due to winter fasting, circulating glucose, total protein and triglyceride
levels were maintained (n = 4). Serum urea nitrogen dropped by 43–45% from autumn to spring, suggesting protein conservation during fasting. The overwintering
survival strategy of N. p. albus in central Hokkaido is based upon large changes in seasonal activity patterns, winter denning and communal housing without
the large decrease in body temperature that is characteristic of subarctic animals exhibiting hibernation or torpor.
Naoya Kitao, Daisuke Fukui and Peter G. Osborne contributed equally to this work |
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Keywords: | Autumnal fattening Body temperature Communal housing Nyctereutes procyonoides Winter denning |
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