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Published: 2020-10-14 16:44:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 8190; Favourites: 81; Downloads: 6
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Description
The racoon family contains several species that are very successful in human-dominated landscapes today and will likely to survive and continue evolving after the anthropocene. Here I imagined 3 potential future species:A) Long-nosed bear (Nasuarctos rufus): Giant bear-like coati from South America, East of the Andes. It is a large, solitary omnivore (contrary to its smaller and social ancestor), quite generalist in habitat requirements as long as it provides enough food and water. It also a scavenger and practises kleptoparasitism, stealing prey from smaller carnivores.
B) Ring-tailed panther (Cynailurus bassariscus): Semi-arboreal carnivorous procyonid from Baja California (An island in the future), where it fills the same niche as today's cougar. It evolved from today's cat-like ringtail (Bassaryscus astutus).
C) Swamp bear (Nearctos ailursinus): Giant, bear-like racoon from North America, where it has replaced black bears in ecological role, although it is more common in the Southern subtropical areas (hence the name "swamp bear") than in the Northern forests.