Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758 – Szop pracz – Raccoon

Information in Alien Species in Poland database are purely scientific and not legally binding.

Status

The species is alien in whole area of its current or past occurrence in Poland

Currently present in the environment

Reproducing in the environment

Numbers or/and range increasing

Invasive alien species

According to the decree of the Council of Ministers of December 9, 2022, on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern and the list of invasive alien species of Poland’s concern, remedial actions and measures aimed at restoring the natural state of ecosystems, the Raccoon is a widely spread invasive alien species of Union concern.

General charactreristics

Description and biology

Omnivorous

Impact on native biodiversity and local economy

Habitats in invaded range

Woodland, forest and other wooded land

Occurrence

Map of occurrence

Areas on the map correspond to pemanent occurrence of the species. Points on the map indicate introduction places and/or single records of the species; they do not always correspond to current presence of the species in a given locality.

Information that could update the map of occurence of the species can be sent to ias@iop.krakow.pl

Earliest introduction/record

in 1927

Types of transport

  • Intentional transport to Poland
  • Spread from outside Poland

Pathways of introduction

  • Fur farms
  • Natural dispersal across borders of invasive alien species that have been introduced through other pathways
  • Landscape / flora / fauna “improvement” in the wild

Type of release into natural environment

  • Escape from confinement
  • Unaided
  • Release in nature

Local dispersal methods

Active spread without human help

References

  • Anonymous 1950. Szopy na pomorzu Łowiec polski 3: 23.
  • Bogdanowicz W., Ruprecht A.L. 1987. Przypadki stwierdzeń szopa pracza Procoyon lotor (Linnaeus, 1758) w Polsce. Przegląd Zoologiczny 31: 375-383.
  • Kampmann H. 1975. Der Waschbar.Verbreitung, Okologie, Lebensweise, Jagd. Verlag Paul Parey. Hamburg und Berlin link
  • Romanowski J. 1995. Szop pracz – mieszkaniec starego i nowego kontynentu Łowiec polski 11: 9-11.
  • Stanisławska A. 2008. Szopy pracze już mieszkają na naszych bagnach Angora 34: 50. link
  • Suminski P. 1963. Aklimatyzacja ssaków łownych w Polsce. Chrońmy Przyrodę Ojczystą 19: 13-22.
  • Sumiński P., Goszczyński J., Romanowski J. 1993. Ssaki drapieżne Europy PWRiL, Warszawa

Author(s): Magdalena Bartoszewicz

Life form: Mammal

Phylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Procyonoidea

English synonyms: Common raccoon; North American raccoon