Animal Land by Makoto Raiku

There is a time when women are not ready to be mothers. In this case a strange woman has abandoned her child, allowing him to float down a river. Somehow the baby ends up in a place full of animals. Rescued by Monoko a tanuki, the child discovers his rare ability to speak different animal cries. Now Monoko as the child's 'mother' will venture into the dangers of the animal kingdom to ensure her 'child's' survival.