Critter News

OCTOBER 6, 2011

Humane Society International (HSI) called on Wednesday for a ban on the fur trade to Australia. The call was issued after the animal rights group discovered that the fur were sourced from the raccoon dog in China, ABC Radio Australia reports. The dog fur are used are inside lining for ugg boots.

Fur 100

Fur Australia Groups Raccoons 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 31, 2012

Whether or not species are lifers or not in Asia for me is actually something of a guess, as my note-taking when I visited the region 10 years earlier could charitably be described as sloppy, and while I have some lists I lost a lot of sighting.

New Zealand 139

New Zealand Fur Malaysia Woodpeckers 139

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2014

A housecat in Buenos Aires got its start in Africa, a sheep in Australia to the Middle East, a chicken in Ireland can trace its origin to the jungles of Asia. Brush-tailed Possums were brought from Australia to help start a fur industry. California Quail are familiar birds to West Coast birders of North America, and Kiwis too now.

New Zealand 161

New Zealand Possums Rabbits Ferrets 161

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2012

The highlight of the night was a Striped Possum, a large squirrel sized possum with black and white striped fur. Their name comes from their odd catlike call, but they more closely resemble one of the larger green barbets of Asia. There were also massive native White-tailed Rats and the Northern Brown Bandicoot.

Possums 170

Possums Guinea Marsupials Rats 170

Animal Ethics

DECEMBER 24, 2006

According to this Associated Press story, if you are wearing a Sean John jacket with fur trim purchased from Macy's, that trim might have come from a dog indigenous to Asia known as a "raccoon dog." was advertised to online customers as having an "imitation rabbit fur collar."

Fur 40

Fur Fur Industry HSUS Raccoons 40