アライグマ
あらいぐま
noun
raccoon
1.
raccoon
A medium-sized mammal (Procyon lotor) native to North America, recognizable by its black face mask and ringed tail. Known in Japanese for its habit of appearing to wash food before eating.
アライグマは夜行性だ。
Raccoons are nocturnal.
庭にアライグマが出没するようになった。
Raccoons have started appearing in the garden.
アライグマは外来種として日本の生態系に深刻な影響を与えている。
As an invasive species, raccoons are having a serious impact on Japan's ecosystem.
The name literally means 'washing bear' (洗う + 熊), referring to the raccoon's characteristic behavior of appearing to wash its food in water. Written in katakana as an animal name, though the kanji 洗熊 exists.
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Raccoons became popular in Japan after the 1977 anime {あらいぐまラスカル} (Rascal the Raccoon). Many were subsequently imported as pets but were released into the wild when they grew too large or aggressive. They are now classified as an invasive species causing agricultural damage and ecological disruption across Japan.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- タヌキ: raccoon dog — a native Japanese animal often confused with raccoons but from a completely different family
- ハクビシン: masked palm civet — another animal that appears in Japanese residential areas