Polecat

Polecat, any of several weasel-like carnivores of the family Mustelidae (which includes weasels, wolverines, minks, otters, and others). The term polecat most commonly refers to the European, or western, polecat (Mustela putorius) or the domestic ferret (M. furo or M. putorius furo), which likely descends from the European polecat. It is also used as a colloquial name for several more distantly related mustelids, including the marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna), the steppe polecat (M. eversmanii), and the striped polecat, or zorille (Ictonyx striatus).

Natural history

The European polecat, which is sometimes called the foul marten for its odor, occurs in woodlands in northern Morocco and across much of Europe. Its geographic range stretches as far north as the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Finland and as far east as the Ural Mountains in Russia and the Black Sea coasts of Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria. It weighs 0.5–1.4 kg (1–3 pounds) and is 35–53 cm (14–21 inches) long, not including the bushy tail, which is 13–20 cm (5.1–7.9 inches) long. Its long, coarse fur is brown above, black below, and marked with yellowish patches on the face. Much lighter fur distinguishes the masked, or steppe, polecat (M. eversmanii) of southeastern Europe and Asia.

Principally terrestrial, the polecat hunts at night, feeding on small mammals (including mice and rats) and birds. It also eats snakes, lizards, frogs, fishes, and eggs. Unlike the marten (genus Martes), it rarely climbs trees.

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European polecats use a polygynous mating strategy, with individual males mating with multiple females during the breeding season, which occurs during the winter. Females can produce litters of three to seven young annually. Young are born in April and May after about two months’ gestation. They are cared for by their mother alone until they reach their full size and become independent at about three months of age. Both sexes reach sexual maturity in just under one year. They live between 6 and 10 years in the wild and may live as long as 14 years in captivity.

Conservation status

The European polecat has been classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources since the organization conducted its first assessment of the species in 1996. Polecats were nearly eliminated in Britain by the beginning of the 20th century, after being hunted for their pelt (known as fitch during the fur trade). They were also considered pests that preyed on domestic fowl and game birds. Restrictions on intensive hunting and trapping allowed populations to recover during the 20th century. Studies note that while present-day populations are relatively stable in the eastern part of their range, hunting and higher rates of land-use conversion (especially the draining of wetlands for agriculture) occurring in western and central Europe have caused polecat populations to decline in the western part of their range.

Related species

The marbled polecat (V. peregusna), which inhabits foothills and steppes from southeastern Europe to southern Mongolia and northern China, is similar to the European species in habit and appearance. Marbled polecats are slightly smaller than European polecats, however, weighing 0.3–0.7 kg (0.7–1.5 pounds) with a body length of up to about 48 cm (about 19 inches) and a tail that ranges from 14.5 to 20.1 cm (5.7 to 7.9 inches) long. They are mottled reddish brown and yellowish above and blackish below.

The steppe polecat (M. eversmanii) also preys on rodents. It is found across Eurasia in dry, open habitats (such as steppes, grasslands, pastures, and farmland). Adults weigh 1.4–2 kg (3–4.4 pounds), and their bodies can grow to a length of 29–56 cm (about 11–22 inches) with a 12-cm (4.7-inch) tail. The species is relatively common throughout its geographic range.

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The zorille (I. striatus; also called zorilla or the striped, Cape, or African polecat) and the Libyan striped weasel (I. libycus; also called the Saharan striped polecat) are related African mustelids. Zorilles are found in sub-Saharan Africa in arid and semiarid habitats, whereas Libyan striped weasels live in similar habitats but in northern Africa. Zorilles are relatively small, weighing only 1–1.4 kg (2.2–3 pounds) and measuring only 28–30 cm (about 11–12 inches) in body length, with a 20–30-cm (7.9–11.8-inch) tail. Libyan striped weasels are lighter than zorilles, weighing 0.2–0.6 kg (0.4–1.3 pounds) with a body length of up to 29 cm (11.4 inches) and a bushy tail that extends an additional 11–18 cm (4.3–7.1 inches).