The Raccoon (Procyon lotor) as a Neozoon in Europe

SIMPLE SUMMARY: With the advance of modern civilization, there has been intensive contact among large parts of the world. This has not only encouraged increased travel and trade, but has also led to the anthropogenic introduction of animal and plant species into new areas of settlement. Such neozoa (invasive species) encounter different and sometimes completely new environmental conditions, which requires the adaptation of the neozoa to their new habitat. Under certain circumstances, the neozoa may even have significant survival advantages, for example, if the prey–hunter constellation shifts in their favor. The North American raccoon (Procyon lotor) was introduced into Europe by intentional and accidental releases in the 20th century and spread throughout most of Europe in the following decades. The first release was in Germany, in Central Europe, which is still the distribution hotspot of the European raccoon. Over time, raccoons were released into the wild for hunting and subsequently spread. There have also been repeated unintentional releases of raccoons by breeders, fur farms, and private pet owners. These releases have accelerated the spread of the raccoon in Europe. The influence of the raccoon on the native fauna and flora has been insufficiently studied so far, but it seems to be only marginal according to current knowledge. ABSTRACT: The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a North American half-bear that is present in much of Europe and Asia as a result of both accidental and planned releases. In Europe, raccoons were introduced primarily as a source of fur for the fur industry. In the 1930s, raccoons were released into the wild in Central Europe. At the same time, animals from fur farms and private holdings continued to enter the wild. In the following decades, the raccoon spread over large parts of Europe. In addition to the invasive spread of the Central European initial population, individual releases of raccoons occurred frequently, mainly in Southern Europe. The high adaptability of the raccoon favors its expansion into new habitats. It has a high reproductive rate, is very mobile, and encounters few predators in Europe. Raccoons have recently become a topic of interest when large raccoon populations have colonized suburban and urban areas. Despite the proximity of raccoons and humans, however, there have been hardly any conflicts to date, unlike in North America. A significant negative impact on the native fauna has been suspected but not proven. Raccoons have been identified as vectors of zoonotic diseases. Nevertheless, monitoring of the increasing numbers of raccoons in Europe seems advisable.