Cute and fuzzy, these once-prisoners-of-war are now conquering Germany's vineyards.

As Canadians, we do a good job of keeping informed about our country’s introduced species, especially the notorious ones, such as zebra mussels and purple loosestrife. But how have our own wildlife exports fared? Most were introduced in centuries past, as exotics for human use as valuable pelts or as conservation items in the gardens of stately homes and estates. Here’s a look at who’s who in the hinterlands abroad.

Descendants of Nazi raccoons are still on the march
A lesser-known legacy of Hitler’s dictatorship has been the introduction of North American raccoons to Europe. The frustration of German winemakers put this historical tidbit centre stage in 2005, when bands of raccoons made news after marauding vineyards and nearly wiping out entire harvests.

Herman Goering, head of the Luftwaffe and Hitler’s chief forester, introduced raccoons to add variety to the fauna of the German countryside in the 1930s. Many more animals escaped when a stray bomb hit a raccoon farm during the Second World War. Since then, Germany’s raccoon population has exploded and some municipalities have recently appointed raccoon control inspectors and authorized culls to deal with the problem.

Britain’s battle with grey squirrels
Canadian and U.S. grey squirrels were introduced several times in Britain between 1876 and 1920 have done so well that they are now the targets of eradication programs. Motivated to save their native red squirrel, England has planned a cull of greys and Scotland is in the process of drawing up a management plan of their own. Grey squirrels are stronger than the smaller native red squirrel and they produce more young. They also monopolize food supplies and carry a squirrel pox virus that is deadly only to the reds.

The last moose seen in New Zealand was shot dead in 1952 by a trophy hunter, and since then, the only evidence of its existence has been a motley collection of feeding signs, scat and cast antlers. But in 2005, two hairs from a tuft found by a biologist tested positive for moose DNA at Trent University’s wildlife forensic DNA lab, reopening speculation that a small herd may yet persist in the dense bush of the South Island.

Dam those Canadian beavers!
In 1946, the government of Argentina introduced 50 Canadian beavers to the country’s southernmost island, Tierra del Fuego, to create a local fur industry. Those original animals found themselves in a beaver utopia — a land of abundant food, water and habitat with no natural predators. Now, 60 years later, scientists recently estimated there is a population of up to 50,000 animals in the Argentine half of the island alone, and possibly tens of thousands more on the Chilean side. In 1981, the government of Tierra del Fuego allowed beaver hunting and has since encouraged modern trapping methods. But with fur out of fashion, there’s a depressed market for pelts and not many incentives for local trappers. Today, Argentines fear the beavers may have crossed the Straits of Magellan to the South American mainland, where they would be much harder to control.

A royal reception for Canada geese
Canada geese were introduced to the wildfowl collection in St. James’ Park in 1665 for the pleasure of Charles II, but unfortunately, they also share the unique distinction of arriving in England the same year as the Great Plague. Other introductions to manor gardens ensued in following years and now Canada geese winter and breed throughout most of Britain. Biologists estimate that their population has now reached 82,000.

Many of our Canadian wildlife expatriates have made interesting livings in their new countries, but usually at a serious economic or environmental cost. Others, like the moose, have suffered and failed to establish. These animals were exported at a time when biologists and governments didn’t know about the environmental implications of introducing species into foreign habitats. But recent research suggests that there is a 50 percent chance that introduced vertebrates will establish and spread. We’ll never be able to get these wild Canadians back, but if we can convince policy makers to put exotic wildlife regulations in place, we can make sure that our remaining animals stay home where they belong.