According to a new study, mice could expand their natural range in areas of the UK.
German scientists analyzed data on the bizarre-looking raccoon and raccoon and predicted where they could survive in Europe.
Mice, known for throwing themselves in the trash, could live in urban and coastal areas such as Liverpool, London and much of the south coast of England.
There are currently no raccoons in the British wilderness, but the study indicates that if they were introduced illegally or released from captivity, they would likely flourish.
Raccoon dogs, a canine that looks like a fox, could spread even further across the British Isles than raccoons, including much of Scotland and Ireland, the data show.
Both animals are considered invasive species and are on the EU’s watchdog for foreign animals that could take over new land and wreak havoc.
Animals are very resilient, able to survive in a number of conditions and have the potential to transmit parasites to humans, experts warn.
The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is native to North America, while the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) is native to Asia – and is considered a potential host of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
The mouse (Procyon lotor) is native to North America and is known for its distinctive black mask around the eyes with white fur around the mask.
This map shows in red where the potential range of raccoons in Europe is. The colored areas are suitable habitat for the animal and include parts of the UK
This map from the Compendium of Invasive Species shows the current European range of raccoons (Procyon lotor) which is spread over 20 countries.
In July last year, a raccoon dog was seen roaming the Welsh countryside – before being caught and taken down.
Although it is not illegal to keep a raccoon as a pet, the RSPCA “strongly discourages” people from doing so because “they are not suitable for pet life in a home environment,” the charity told MailOnline. .
Both species were brought to Europe in the 20th century for fur farming and as prey for hunters and have since spread to large areas.
According to the Compendium Invasive Species, the raccoon and the raccoon dog are found in 20 and 33 countries in Europe, respectively.
But there is a risk that these species will spread and expand their range in Europe beyond the current distribution, which could push these figures upwards.
Screenshot of Invasive Species Compendium, a database of the Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI). Show current global range of raccoons (Procyon lotor)
“In Europe, animals do not yet occupy all regions with suitable climatic conditions – that is, regions that are a potential habitat for them,” said the study’s author, Dr. Judith Kochmann, at the Senckenberg Center for Biodiversity and Climate Research in Frankfurt.
“Therefore, the range of raccoons and raccoons in Europe is likely to expand significantly in the future.
“Rats and raccoon dogs are flexible in terms of habitat and diet. In addition, they have few natural enemies, if any, in Europe.
“Therefore, we assume that their natural spread is mainly limited by climate and, in this sense, there is still room for expansion.”
Raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) are not raccoons, but members of the canid family (dog). They originate from the forests of eastern Siberia, northern China, North Vietnam, Korea and Japan and are now widespread in some European countries.
Map showing the projected area of climate adequacy in Europe marked in red for the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). The range is even more widespread for the raccoon dog, which has a higher tolerance to lower temperatures than the raccoon.
As they spread, raccoons and raccoon dogs could harbor infectious agents, such as parasites and viruses, that can also be transmitted to humans.
“Mice transmit the roundworm and are considered host hosts for West Nile virus,” said co-author Dr. Sven Klimpel of Goethe University in Frankfurt.
“Raccoons harbor similar pathogens, including rabies-causing lysaviruses, canine distress viruses and fox tapeworms.
Moreover, raccoon dogs are currently suspected as reservoir hosts for coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2).
Researchers are currently investigating exactly which pathogens are being transported by these two species.
For their study, the researchers investigated areas where the two species could experience similar climatic conditions to their native areas and therefore find suitable habitat.
Compendium of invasive species showing the current global range of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). It is widespread in Asia and much of Europe, but not in North America, like the raccoon
Compendium of invasive species showing the current European range of the raccoon dog – note its prominence in Scandinavia compared to the raccoon
In total, 6,911 records of the location of raccoons in the native US and 192 raccoon dogs in Asia were studied to determine the parts of Europe where the animals could live.
The team used eight variables to analyze the temperature and precipitation conditions in which the two species were documented to thrive in their regions of origin.
From this information, they derived the climatic niches of the animals – where the conditions are right for the species to survive.
It reveals that habitats with a suitable climate for raccoons and raccoon dogs overlap widely in Europe.
The raccoon dog can spread faster to Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, while raccoons are probably primarily colonizers of the southern regions, including London, Cornwall, Merseyside and and Brighton in the UK.
This difference is probably due to the fact that raccoon dogs tolerate lower temperatures in winter – a behavior that could have contributed to its successful spread in Northern Europe, according to the study’s authors.
“Procyon lotor seems to find suitable habitats in all coastal areas, but cannot reach higher elevations,” say the authors.
In future research, scientists intend to broaden their approach by incorporating land use data, allowing the development of improved, small-scale models.
They will serve as a basis for future management measures aimed at controlling the populations of both species.
The study was published in the Mammal Review.