Asian Mountain Raccoon

Introduction

The Asian Mountain Raccoon (Raccoon Montem Silva) is an herbivore and an arboreal mammal found in the forests of the Himalayas. They are also seen in the Himilayan towns such as Joshimath, Uttarakhand and Mcleod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh as well as many others. These creatures originally lived in high altitude forests, but as the world is becoming more advanced, these creatures have started to change their behavior to better survive with the presence of humans.

The Asian Mountain Raccoon is a member of the Ailuridae family, this is an obvious relative to the Procyonidae family (raccoons, cacomistle and the olinguito, etc). The Asian Mountain Raccoon doesn’t have a very distinctive look. The snout, tail and bone structure similarly resembles that of a Lotor Raccoon, a skunk and many other ring tailed creatures. But the shape and length of its legs and claws clearly show how digging and climbing plays a vital role in the ways they maintain food and safety which greatly differ from raccoons.

Etymology

The name Asian Mountain Raccoon is a pretty easy one to analyze. They are called this because they live in the mountains of Asia. Their Latin name “Raccoon Montem Silva” translates to “Mountain Forest” Raccoon due to their habitat and diet. Even though the Asian Mountain Raccoon has grown to live in more urban territory, their name still reflects their native land.

Habitat and Population

These creatures are usually found in the high-altitude forests with bamboo, in the 28% habitable Himalayas and other high mountains. This raccoon is mostly found living in packs, building nests high in the mountains to protect their newborn young. Asian Mountain Raccoons do not mate for life. They are fertile for a few days 7 out of the 12 months and mate during that time. After the birth of the cubs, the father usually stays to protect the young with the mother until the cubs are grown and able to protect and feed themselves.

There are currently 20,000 Asian Mountain Raccoons residing in the Himalayas according to a study done in 2120. But as their native home is shrinking, their population has expanded to more urban areas such as Kaza, Himachal Pradesh and Auli, Uttarakhand. Due to a 2104 study, around 9,300 Asian Mountain Raccoons reside in these cities. In the Himalayas, Asian Mountain Raccoons are preyed upon by snow leopards, martens and large birds while they continue to mainly eat bamboo.

History

The Asian Mountain Raccoon originally evolved from the Red Panda which was listed as an endangered species in 2008. As its main food source and protection is the rainforest, humans cutting down trees also meant that they cut down the Asian Mountain Raccoon’s home. But ever since the Bring Back the Trees project, their home has gradually started to become a safe place for them again. According to the world famous zoologist Dr. Markus Cannoni, these Asian Mountain Raccoons shared a common ancestor with the giant panda and the Lotor Raccoon as seen in the bone and face structure as well as the texture of the fur and their ringed tail. These new, evolved raccoons are able to better adapt to the new and changing world.

Evolution

Around one hundred years ago, this species evolved from the Red Panda, widely known and hunted for their red fur. They have since developed a grey brown coat as well as curved claws to make digging and climbing easier. The Red Panda was only fertile for 1-2 days a year whereas the Asian Mountain Raccoon is fertile for a few days for at least 7 months out of the year. This is a result of Biological adaptation. Due to the rapid decrease of the Red Panda’s population, this subspecies evolved to balance the ecosystem. The Asian Mountain Raccoons developed these new traits, which started as a single mutation that has passed down through generations, to better survive in a modernized world and to coexist with humans. Those that did not receive these new traits were eventually killed off by poachers. It has been said by Marcus Cannoni and his team that the Red Panda breeded with the Lotor Raccoons to create the Asian Mountain Raccoon using Horizontal Gene Transfer. With these mutations and interbreeding, the Asian Mountain Raccoon became its own subspecies.

Summary

The Asian Mountain Raccoon still currently resides in the Himalayan Mountains and most Himalayan cities. Its bone structure helps it to climb and dig for food and safety. The Asian Mountain Raccoon originally evolved from the Red Panda, who adapted to human’s impact on their environment. By developing different shaped legs and claws and by changing their behavior to live in groups for protection, they are now thriving. Although they are a part of the Ailuridae family, they are very similar to members of the Procyonidae family. This Asian Mountain Raccoon is a unique and now highly protected subspecies that supports and nourishes Earth's ecosystem.

Works Cited

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