Alternative Names (Synonyms)

• European polecat (B147)
• Foul marten
• Fitch (name for pelt)
• Ffwlbart (Welsh)
• Putois d'Europe (French)
• Europäischer Iltis (German)
• Gemeiner Iltis (German)
• Waldiltis (German)

Alternative species names (the second part of the binomial species names): [Genus] amibigua; [Genus] angustifrons; [Genus] bicolor; [Genus] gracilis; [Genus] interrupta; [Genus] larvatus; [Genus] leucoparia; [Genus] lucasona; [Genus] microdon; [Genus] mupurita; [Genus] olympica; [Genus] phenax; [Genus] putida; [Genus] quaterlinearis; [Genus] ringens; [Genus] saxatalis; [Genus] striata; [Genus] tenuis; [Genus] texensis; [Genus] tibetanus; [Genus] zorilla (B141).

Names for new-borns / juveniles

General Appearance

Similar Species

• Distinguished from Mustela vision - Mink: mink lacks facial mask, pale ear markings and bicoloured guard hairs.
• Distinguished from Polecat-ferret: polecat-ferret is usually paler.
• Distinguished from Martes martes - Pine marten: pine marten is larger with white or cream 'bib', larger ears, longer bushy tail and lacks facial mask.

(B142, B148, D30).

References

Species Author

Major References

D30

Husbandry references:

• Wildlife and Countryside Directorate, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)
• The Mammal Society
• Mammals Trust

• --

TAXA Group (where information has been collated for an entire group on a modular basis)

Parent Group

• Mustelids

Specific Needs Group referenced in Management Techniques

• Mustelids

Husbandry Information

Notes

• Adapt well to captivity if caught as young animals (B147).
• Easy to breed (B147).

• Accommodation of Casualty Stoats, Weasels etc.
• Hand-rearing Stoats, Weasels etc.
• Catching and Handling of Stoats, Weasels etc.
• Feeding of Casualty Stoats, Weasels etc.
• Release of Casualty Stoats, Weasels etc.

Measurement & Weight

• Males: 330-450mm mean 398mm (B142); 295-460mm (B147); 14-18in./35-46cm (B144).
• Females 335-385mm mean 367mm (B142); 205-385mm (B147); 12-16in./30-40cm (B144).

Head

• Ears: shall, rounded with white edge (D30).

• I 3/3 C 1/1 P 3/3 M 1/2 (B142).
• Upper carnassials long and narrow, upper molars transversely elongated (B142).
• Sometimes supernumerary incisors or other variations in dentition (B142).

• Small.
• Iris: dark brown.

(B142).

Legs and Tracks

• Male 53-68mm mean 60.4mm, Female 51-58mm mean 53.1mm (B142).
• Ear Male 22-29mm mean 26.1mm, Female 21-24mm mean 22.7mm (B142).

Tail

Length:

• Male 125-165mm mean 149mm (B142); 105-190mm (B147); 4.8-6.8in./12-17cm (B144).
• Female 125-145mm mean 133mm (B142); 70-140mm (B147); 3.2-6in./8-15cm (B144).

Coat / Pelage

• Guard hairs: Dark brown to purplish black.
• Undercoat: visible through guard hairs, shoulders and forelimbs, rump and hindlimbs, tail all greyish buff, rest of body buff.. (Undercoat also described as pale yellow or white to yellow).
• Head: ear edges, chin patch (extending onto muzzle), cheek patches between eyes and ears, all white or greyish-white.

(B142, B144, B147, B148, D30)

• Reddish (erythristic) guard hairs - red pigment replacing normal black (B142).
• Increased white of chin patch probably due to ferret genes (B142).

Winter:

• Increased facial markings - frontal band across forehead becomes white, cheek patches may extend down to join chin patch. Thicker coat.

(B142, B144)

• New-born (one week old): silky white coat (B142).
• Juvenile (3-4 weeks old): woolly coat. General: cinnamon brown-greyish. Ear tips, parts of muzzle: white (B142).
• 50 days old: similar to adult (B142).

Neonate (New-born) Characteristics

Detailed Anatomy Notes
(Summary information provided for pertinent species-specific data cross-referenced in Wildpro)

• Reproductive: 3-5 pairs of teats (B144).
• Scent glands: Paired spherical anal glands at base of tail (B142).

Natural Diet

• Lagomorphs, small rodents, birds, amphibians (frogs), snakes.
• Also birds eggs, invertebrates.
• Fish more commonly eaten continental mainland than Britain.

(B142, B144, B147, B148)

Detailed Physiology Notes
(Summary information provided for pertinent species-specific data cross-referenced in Wildpro)

• Long and thin (up to 70mm with diameter 5-9mm), cylindrical, slightly coiled, twisted and taper to one end, usually blackish and with characteristic musky odour when fresh.
• Deposited in latrine near den.

(B142).

Feeding Behaviour

• Stalk prey, seize, kill with neck bite.
• Movement of prey important stimulus.
• Cache food, particularly frogs and toads, bitten at skull base so paralysed.

(B142)

Parental Behaviour

Social Behaviour / Territoriality

• Generally solitary.
• Territory of 0.65-3.05km along a stream (radio-tracking information)(B147).
• Home range about 100-150 hectares - varies depending on habitat/prey availability, sex, social status. Mean 101 hectares.

B142, B147

Sexual Behaviour

• No courtship, vigorous mating. Male grasps female by neck and drags - stimulates ovulation. Copulation up to 1 hour.
• Probably promiscuously polygamous.

(B142).

Predation in Wild

• Wolf, lynx, fox, predatory birds (B144).
• Dogs; possible foxes, raptors (B142).

Activity Patterns

• Terrestrial.
• Can climb and swim.
• Average daily movement about 1.1km (B147); 3-4km (B142).
• Rutting males and juveniles more mobile than breeding females .
• Nervous, easily frightened.
• Activity centred on dens.
• 85% of time spent in core 20% of range (B142).
• Activity affected by weather as well as prey availability; reduced activity in winter.

(B142, B147, B148)

General Habitat Type

• Woodland, forest plantations, wide hedgebanks, meadows, farmland, marginal land, marsh, river banks, sea cliffs, sand dunes.
• Prefers areas near water.
• Usually sea level to 520m, occasionally up to 920m. (B142).
• Particularly in winter, utilise areas near buildings (presence of shelter and prey), similarly rubbish tips.
• Sometimes found in cities (B142)

(B51, B142, B144, B147, D30)

Nests / Burrows / Shelters

• Use crevices, hollow logs, burrows made by other species.
• Also compartmentalised self-excavated lairs.
• Use several dens.
• May shelter under/in buildings in winter.

(B142, B147, B148)

Distribution and Movement (Migration etc.)

• Europe, west of Urals.
• Not found: northern Scandinavia, Ireland, Mediterranean islands, most of Balkans, eastern Adriatic coast.
• In Britain: Wales, Marches, Midlands. Range expanding.

(B51, B142, B143, B147, B148, D30).

.New Zealand (B147),

Intraspecific variation

Conservation Status

• Recent range expansion northwards, eastwards and southwards in eastern part of range (B143).
• Now recovering in Britain (where formerly near-exterminated) (B142, B143).
• Decreasing in several western European countries, recent declines: Switzerland, Germany, Denmark (B143, B144).
• In Britain: native, locally common in Wales and population increasing. Pre-breeding population estimate of about 15,000, with 2500 in England, possibly 0 in Scotland (survival of animals released in Scotland unknown), 12,500 in Wales. Population estimate of this widely-distributed species was based on a limited amount of data and considered likely to be inaccurate by up to 50% in either direction (B221).

• Bern Convention, Appendix III (B143).
• EU Habitats & Species Directive, Annex V (B143).
• Licence required in Britain for trapping and for other forms of killing except shooting (B142).
• This species is listed on Schedule 6 (Animals which may not be killed or taken by certain methods) of the LUK2 - Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 of the United Kingdom. (W5.Oct01)

• Road traffic accidents, secondary rodenticide poisoning.
• Also human persecution, although less than formerly.

(B142, B143, B221)