Mario goes through, on average, 8 worlds of gameplay killing turtles, anthropomorphic mushrooms, moles, and an assortment of other reptiles and they call him out on the tanuki suit? It's not even an actual pelt, it's a magical manifestation that draws from the tanuki of folk-lore rather than having anything to do with the actual animal. Thats why you get it from a golden leaf and can turn into a statue.
Gods these guys are insane.