1. FLPA - Images Of Nature Polcat (null). Add to Lightbox. Polecat Wildwood Centre, UK. Add to Lightbox. Polecat(null). Add to Lightbox. polecat wildlife Park. Add to Lightbox. Page 1 of 1. http://www.flpa-images.co.uk/picdisplay.asp?GROUP=10916

2. Striped Polecat | African Animals | Weasel | Wildlife Safari.info. Striped polecat Habits and Distribution, with Maps, Images, Locations in Southern Africa and Parks. Other Mammals of southern Africa, with Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo, Antelope http://www.wildlifesafari.info/polecat_striped.html

AFRICAN SAFARI HABITATS SOUTHERN AFRICA WILD ANIMAL PARKS WILDLIFE SAFARI SEASONS AFRICAN ANIMALS ... HOME STRIPED POLECAT - Ictonyx striatus SIZE: Length (including the tail) 63 cm, mass 1 kg. COLOUR: The overall body colour is black with four prominent pure white stripes running from the top of the head along the back and sides to base of the tail. The face, legs and underparts are black; the face has a white patch above the nose and a larger white patch on either side, between the eye and ear. The tail is mainly white but the black of the hair bases shows through. GESTATION PERIOD: 6 weeks POTENTIAL LONGEVITY: 14 -15 years HABITAT: All types of terrain, including arid plains, grassland, bush country, forest, rocky areas and mountains.

3. Steppe Polecat Steppe polecat. mustela eversmanni. Classification Distribution Physical Characteristics Reproduction Behavior Habitat Links. Lady wildlife's polecat Page. Leningradsky Zoo http://www.pjc.cc.fl.us/sctag/s_polecat/Index2.htm

Steppe Polecat mustela eversmanni Classification Distribution Physical Characteristics Reproduction ... Links Classification: Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata Class Mammalia Subclass Eutheria Order Carnivora Family Mustelidae Back to Top Distribution: The Steppe Polecat lives in the steppe zones of Austria to Manchuria and Tibet. Back to Top Physical Characteristics The steppe polecat is a straw yellow to pale brown color with a dark mask across its face. The chest, limbs, groin area, and part of the tail are dark brown to black. Some people believe that he resembles the black-footed ferret . Male polecats are twice the size of female polecats. Back to Top Reproduction: Steppe Polecats breed from March - June. The female builds a nest in trees or in heaps of hay. The nest is lined with feathers, fur, and dried plant matter. They have a two-month gestation period and have 3-8 young. Back to Top Behavior: Steppe polecats have anal scent glands that they use. When they are excited or threatened they releases some of the contents of these glands to warn off their predators. They also use these glands to mark their territory. Since polecats are so long and slender they move with a awkward gait, that is really more beneficial than it looks.

4. British Wildlife Guide - Mammals, Polecat NATURE. polecat. Mustela putorius. Sometimes confused with dark forms of escapedpolecatferret but true polecat always has appearance of dark mask on face. http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/wildlife/mammals_polecat.html

Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. // Show bread crumbs navigation path. breadcrumbs('four'); //> WILDLIFE Mammals Birds Amphibians ... Fungi Frames not supported Frames not supported NATURE Polecat Mustela putorius Length 45-55cm Sometimes confused with dark forms of escaped polecat-ferret but true polecat always has appearance of dark mask on face. Body fur rather variable in colour but usually dark brown with paler flanks. Rather secretive and mainly nocturnal. Favours wooded areas. In the past, much persecuted by gamekeepers and now restricted mainly to C Scotland, border counties and C Wales. makeButton("REFERENCE.HOME","R1") makeButtonNoSize("REFERENCE.HOME","R2") makeButton("REFERENCE.HOME","L1") makeButton("REFERENCE.HOME","L2") Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. servePixl("REFERENCE.HOME"); //accipter 1x1 pixel

5. British Wildlife Guide - Mammals Contents wildlife. Mammals. Birds. Amphibians. Fish. Insects. Molluscs. Crustaceans. Invertebrates. SquirrelRabbit Brown Hare Mountain Hare Stoat Weasel polecat American Mink, http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/wildlife/mammals_contents.html

Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. // Show bread crumbs navigation path. breadcrumbs('four'); //> WILDLIFE Mammals Birds Amphibians ... Fungi Frames not supported Frames not supported Hedgehog Mole Pygmy Shrew Common Shrew ... Grey Seal makeButton("REFERENCE.HOME","R1") makeButtonNoSize("REFERENCE.HOME","R2") makeButton("REFERENCE.HOME","L1") makeButton("REFERENCE.HOME","L2") Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. servePixl("REFERENCE.HOME"); //accipter 1x1 pixel

6. Polecat And Ferret Information, Polecat And Ferret Picture JungleWalk polecat and Ferret information, polecat and Ferret picture North American mammal closely related to the Steppe polecat of Russia" Black-footed Ferret. Nebraska wildlife http://www.junglewalk.com/ZS475000.asp

JungleWalk - Polecat and Ferret information, Polecat and Ferret picture Search by name (Browser must support frames) This page is meant for use with older browsers which do not support in-line frames. If you have a recent version of a browser which does support frames, you should use the more user-friendly 'frame version' of this site. Carnivores Weasel Family Raccoons Weasels ... Carnivores - Misc. Other Favorites: Bird Sounds Check out these T-Shrit Galleries: Bird T-Shirt Cat T-Shirt Dog T-Shirt Dolphin T-Shirt ... Zebra T-Shirt Check out these Poster Galleries: Cat Posters Dog Posters Monkey Posters Wolf Posters ... Weasel Family Polecats and Ferrets Black-footed Ferret Photographer: LuRay Parker Source: US Fish and Wildlife This image is in public domain. Counts: Video:6 Audio:10 sites:16 images:4 American Polecat San Francisco State University Shows distribution of the american polecat or the black-footed ferret American Polecat Science Daily A interesting narrative on american polecat "The Black-footed Ferret (Mustella nigripes) is a small carnivorous North American mammal closely related to the Steppe Polecat of Russia" Black-footed Ferret Nebraska Wildlife Narrative on habitat, description, management and outlook, etc. "The ferret was held in special regard by Native Americans, who used its pelts on headdresses and in religious ceremonies".

7. Ladywildlife's Pole Cat Page polecat and Man At one time, the polecat was hunted for sport. Today it is appreciatedin wildlife reserves because it controls the numbers of small rodents http://ladywildlife.com/animal/polecat.html

Polecat To see pictures of animals click the blue dot.. A solitary, nighttime hunter, the polecat is a European relative of the skunk. It was once widespread in Europe but was almost wiped out in some areas. The polecat lives in a wide variety of habitats, from woodlands to sand dunes. Once disliked because of its habit of killing game birds, it is now appreciated by foresters for controlling the rodents and rabbits that destroy the bark of trees. Habits: Polecats are solitary hunters and are active mainly at night. Males may have territories as large as 6,000 acres, which they patrol regularly in search of prey. Females have smaller territories that may overlap those of other females and males. Territories are marked by secretions of an oily, pungent musk. The polecat also sprays its scent when frightened or angry. Food and Hunting: The polecat preys on many other animals, including birds, toads, frogs, lizards, and snakes. It also eats smaller prey such as earthworms and insect larvae. Polecats are ruthless hunters, killing entire litters of animals but eating only one or two. They have even killed all the birds in a henhouse without eating a single one. Polecats are fierce hunters, often catching prey much larger than themselves, such as rabbits. They kill them with a bite to the neck. Polecats paralyze frogs and toads by pithing, or biting through the brain stem. This leaves the victims alive but immobile. Breeding: Polecats breed from March to June. The female allows the male to drag her around by the scruff of the neck for as long as an hour. They then mate several times. The repeated mating usually guarantees fertilization. The female gives birth in a nest of dry grass and moss to a litter of 5 to 10 young 40 to 43 days later. She guards them carefully and, for the first few days, leaves the nest briefly to feed. She also leaves the nest to defecate and urinate, which keeps the nest clean and is a habit that the young soon acquire.

8. Common Mammals Of Southern Africa | African Animals | Wildlife Safari.info. ZAMBIA BIRDS SOUTHERN AFRICA BIRDS COMMON TREES wildlife PARKS HOME. Hare, WEASELS,polecatS, BADGERS OTTERS Mustelidae Striped polecat - Honey Badger http://www.wildlifesafari.info/common_mammals.htm

AFRICAN SAFARI HABITATS SOUTHERN AFRICA WILD ANIMAL PARKS WILDLIFE SAFARI SEASONS AFRICAN ANIMALS ... HOME SOUTHERN AFRICAN COMMON MAMMALS BOTSWANA BIRDS NAMIBIA BIRDS SOUTH AFRICA BIRDS ZIMBABWE BIRDS ... HOME ANTBEAR Orycteropodidae Antbear HYAENAS - Hayenidae Spotted Hyaena Brown Hyaena Aardwolf ANTELOPE - Bovidae Buffalo Blue Wildebeest Black Wildebeest Red Hartebeest ... Common Duiker - Sharpe's Grysbok Suni Bontebok Blesbok Reedbuck ... Red Lechwe HYRAXES - Procaviidae Rock Hyrax - Tree Hyrax - Yellow-spot Hyrax Cercopithecidae Vervet Monkey Baboon - Samango Monkey Wild Dog Cape Fox Black-backed Jackal Bat-eared Fox ... Side-striped Jackal BUSHBABIES - Lorisidae Lesser Bushbaby Thick-tailed Bushbaby PANGOLIN - Manidae Pangolin CATS - Felidae African Lion Leopard Cheetah Caracal ... African Wildcat PORCUPINES - Hystricidae Porcupine CANE RAT- Thryonomyidae Greater cane rat PIGS - Suidae Warthog Bushpig Viveridae African Civet Large spotted Genet Small spotted Genet Water Mongoose ... Slender Mongoose - Selous' Mongoose Yellow Mongoose Small Grey Mongoose - White-tailed Mongoose

9. EOO - Wildlife - Mammals Care/Shelter SEE wildlife - Care/Shelter (separate page the bats, polecat, pine marten and dormouse." Founded 1975. Located Ledbury, UK. wildlife - Mammals - General - U.S. http://www.ekas.org/sites/wildlife_mamm.html

EKAS SITES - Wildlife - Mammals SEE ALSO: Animal Rights Biodiversity/Ecology Land Use Oceans/Seas ... Deer, Elk, Sheep, etc. Burros - SEE: Horses Cats - SEE: Felines Donkeys - SEE: Horses Elephants, Hippos, Rhinos Felines General Care/Shelter - SEE: Wildlife - Care/Shelter (separate page) Horses Koala Manatees Marsupials ... Primates Wolves - SEE: Canines Bats International Non-U.S. Australia UK U.S. California ... Wisconsin Bears International Non-U.S. Canada Greece U.S. Minnesota ... Wyoming Canines International Non-U.S. France Ireland Zimbabwe U.S. ... North Carolina Deer, Elk, Sheep, etc. Non-U.S. UK Canada Yukon U.S. Alaska Arizona ... Wyoming Elephants, Hippos, Rhinos International Africa Asia-Pacific Non-U.S. Botswana Kenya South Africa Thailand ... U.S. Felines International Africa Asia-Pacific North America Non-U.S. China India Mexico Namibia ... South Africa U.S. California Florida General International Latin America Non-U.S. Australia Canada UK U.S. Horses International Asia-Pacific Non-U.S. Australia U.S. North Dakota Primates International Africa Asia-Pacific Non-U.S. Cameroon Congo Indonesia The Netherlands U.S. Georgia Washington Wildlife - Mammals - Bats - International INTPNP Australasian Bat Society "To promote the conservation of all populations of all species of bats (Order Chiroptera) in Australasia." Located: Unknown, International.

10. Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Polecat Project wildlife Trust. To aid our own local survey we are very keen to receive sightingdetails from anyone who thinks they may have seen either a pure polecat or a http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/cheshire/proj_polecat.htm

The Polecat Project The polecat Mustela putorius L.1758, is native to Britain. It is not actually a cat, but is part of the weasel family, the Mustelidae. It has a long body and short legs, with dark fur, especially dark on the legs and tail. The underbody fur is pale yellow, making its body slightly lighter in appearance, especially in its winter coat. The animal has a very striking set of facial markings which consist of light and dark fur giving the impression of a bandit's mask. Polecats are bigger than stoats or weasels, but are smaller than otters or martens. Sizes of adult males vary from 45-60 cm. long (females are slightly smaller). Although mainly carnivorous, the polecat has a varied diet consisting of voles, mice, rabbits and rats. It eats nearly as many amphibians as the otter and the mink and can produce a distinctive stockpile, or pantry, of dead frogs on the river bank. It is a nocturnal animal, which breeds in March-April. The female makes a nest in trees, piles of stones or heaps of hay, lining it with feathers, hairs and dry herbs. She raises her young with no assistance from the male. The young are born blind and hairless, they open their eyes at about 5 weeks old. Polecats can live in all kinds of habitat, but show a marked preference for wet areas and the banks of rivers. They are common near human habitation, especially liking farm buildings, dry stone walls, field edges, marshland and woodpiles.

11. Polecat Although the return of the polecat to Suffolk may be perceived as a mixed blessing,it is This is an extract from the Trust s magazine Suffolk wildlife . http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/suffolk/ca/si/retpolecat.htm

//Top Navigational Bar III (By BrotherCake @ cake@brothercake.net) //Permission granted/modified by Dynamicdrive.com to include script in archive //For this and 100's more DHTML scripts, visit http://www.dynamicdrive.com Return of the Polecat The appearance of 'polecat ferrets' can bear great similarity to the native wild polecat from which they are probably descended. The two species are able to interbreed, which can also confuse matters. As the fur and facial colouring of polecat ferrets and true polecats can be almost identical, the main recordable differences are linked to certain skull measurements. If you ever wondered what the distinctive facial markings were for - it is thought to be a warning to predators that polecats taste nasty! In addition, their ability to produce a foul smell when threatened has earned them the name of 'foul marten'. A very exciting development in recent years is that the wild polecat has been expanding its range eastwards from its stronghold in Wales and the Borders and now is just a county away from Suffolk! Before considering what the arrival of the native wild polecat on our doorstep might mean, we ought to look back at the past. Polecats are thought to have become extinct in Suffolk sometime around 1900-1910. We know that in 1880 they were still present in the county, as throughout much of the British Isles, although probably in low numbers. Polecats were perceived as vermin and an early Act of Parliament encouraged their extermination by allowing churchwardens to pay a bounty on the corpses. The arrival of the (now illegal) gin trap in the mid-1800s also contributed to their scarcity, since polecats proved particularly vulnerable to this form of trapping.

12. BrownTrout Publishers | Calendars magnificent and interesting wildlife. Mammals include the badger, red deer, mountain hare, fox, and polecat. Along the is devoted to the wildlife within England, Scotland and Wales http://www.browntrout.com/calendars/product.asp?MGID=1200&IID=4094

13. LODE T. 2001. Genetic Divergence Without Spatial Isolation In lutreola). Game wildlife 12 147158. (Abstract). LODE T. 1994 - Thepolymorphism of the European polecat Mustela putorius in France. http://sciences.univ-angers.fr/ecologie/Polecat_project.html

The European Polecat Mustela putorius En français Laboratoire d'Ecologie Animale Faculté des Sciences Thierry Lodé Breeding in Harriers Brown to dark brown in fur, the European polecat Mustela putorius L. 1758 has generally a yellowish patch on the face giving the impression of a bandit's mask. Polecats are bigger than weasels but exhibit an important sexual dimorphism ( = 1.75). Adult sizes vary from 350 to 450 mm (body length) and in weight 0.7 kg for females to 1.7 kg for males. M. lutreola conservation Related to the Mustelidae family (stoats, otters , badgers, skunks ) polecats are mainly nocturnal and individual animals with a home range of about 1 km . They shelter in cavities in stream banks or under tree roots. Formerly spread throughout the Western Palearctic, polecats are mainly found in woodlands, farmlands and wetlands. The species may breed once a year in May-June and after a gestation of 42 days, three or four pups are cared for by the female. Feeding mainly upon frogs, toads and bank voles, the polecats are also rat destroyers in the wild. Polecats seldom hybridise with the Steppe polecat ( M. eversmanni

14. Wildlife_k-p 1997 WWF, polecat. 1996 wildlife. MNH Portugal 12981301. 1976 wildlife. MNH http://www.billtopics.com/wildlife_k-p.htm

15. Polecat The Vincent wildlife Trust (VWT) and The Mammal Society are jointlycarrying out a distribution survey of the polecat in Britain. http://www.vwt.org.uk/species/polecat.php

The Vincent Wildlife Trust The Polecat The polecat ( Mustela putorius ) is of considerable conservation significance in Britain. This is particularly so because of its current recolonisation of many areas of lowland Britain from which it was trapped to extinction at the end of the 19th century. The general lack of awareness and understanding of this recovery, and the paucity of information on the status, distribution and behaviour of polecats in the recently colonised areas, prompted the VWT to initiate a number of conservation-centred studies on the species. This included looking at the relationship between wild polecats and feral ferrets. In 1999 the VWT published a detailed report on the distribution and status of the polecat in Britain. A New Polecat Distribution Survey of Britain 2004-2006 The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) and The Mammal Society are jointly carrying out a distribution survey of the polecat in Britain. You can help by looking out for this secretive wild mammal. Having survived near-extinction the polecat is still recovering and expanding its range in Britain. An earlier survey by the VWT in the mid-1990s showed that polecats had recolonised most of Wales and were increasingly widespread in the English midlands and beyond. The main aim of the new survey, which runs until the end of 2006, is to track any further changes in the distribution of wild polecats in Britain. A subsidiary aim is to identify the presence of feral ferrets and wild polecat-ferret hybrids where these occur.

16. Area Wildlife http//frederickcounty.com. Area wildlife. Bats. People are becoming increasingly aware of the eaten by other wildlife. Skunk. Skunk, also known as polecat. Throughout Western Maryland http://frederickcounty.com/area_wildlife.htm

http://frederickcounty.com Area Wildlife Bats People are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the bats they once persecuted. Increased pesticide use, the loss of roosting and foraging habitat has resulted in the current decline of many bat species. Bats serve as important pollinators of many food plants as well as provide useful aids for medical research, particulary for the blind. Bats are the only major predator of night-flying insects. Bat prey includes lacewings, cockroaches, gnats, and mosquitos as their major food source. A single Big brown bat can eat between 3,000 and 7,000 mosquitos in a night, with large populations of bats consuming thousands of tons of potentially harmful forest and agricultural pests annually. Permanent wet areas are critical because they supply water and a consistent insect supply. Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. Their wings are like hands with skin stretched between modified finger bones. They are not blind, but rely on echolocation instead of their eyes for locating and capturing food at night. Bats are more closely related to primates than the rodents with which they are often compared. They have slow reproductive rates with typically only one offspring cycle. Like all other mammals, female bats nurse their young. A balance of foraging habitat and roosting habitat is essential. Bats spend over half of their lives in roosts and rely on sheltered, undisturbed natural sites such as caves, crevices in rocks, and tree cavities to meet their needs. In the winter months, insulated roosts are important for hibernating bats, while in late spring and early summer, roosts that can sustain daytime temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit are important for raising young bats. Bats are somewhat opportunistic in their roost selection and often utilize man-made structures such as attics, abandoned houses, church lofts, and barns where natural roosts are unavailable.

17. Publications How to tell them apart ¤ Horseshoe bats ¤ Bechstein s bats ¤ polecat ¤ Pinemarten. Send your order to The Vincent wildlife Trust 3 4 Bronsil Courtyard http://www.vwt.org.uk/publications/

The Vincent Wildlife Trust ¤ Barbastelle bats ¤ Polecats and Ferrets - How to tell them apart ¤ Horseshoe bats ¤ Bechstein's bats ¤ Polecat ¤ Pine marten Booklets The Bats of Britain and Ireland HW Schofield AJ Mitchell-Jones NEW Second edition available now! Colour poster Bats of Britain and Ireland - £2.00 Pipistrelle Identification Guide - identifying Common, Soprano and Nathusius' pipistrelles. FREE. pdf (330kb) - click here Send your order to: The Vincent Wildlife Trust Eastnor Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 1EP UK The following publications are available from the VWT . For orders within the UK , please send details of your order together with your name and address, including phone number or email address, plus a cheque in £(GBP) for the total amount. For orders outside the UK Title of Report Author UK price £ Otter Survey of Wales 1984-1985 E Andrews AK Crawford Otter Survey of Wales 1991 E Andrews P Howell K Johnson Otter Survey of Scotland 1984-1985 J Green R Green Otter Survey of Scotland 1991-1994 R Green J Green Otter Survey of England 1991-1994: A report on the decline and recovery of the otter in England and its distribution, status and conservation in 1991-1994 R Strachan DJ Jefferies The Effects of Otter Guards on the Fishing Efficiency of Eel Fyke Nets Steering Committee The Distribution of the Hazel Dormouse in Wales DL Jermyn JE Messenger JDS Birks The VWT Review 1997-2000 JDS Birks HJ Macmillan (Eds) special offer!

18. Polecat copy). Birks, J. (1993) The Return of the polecat, British wildlife.Birks, J. (1996) The Rise of the polecat, Natural World. http://www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk/mammal-polecat.htm

POLECAT (MUSTELA PUTORIUS) LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN OBJECTIVES To encourage the natural recolonisation of the polecat in the Cheshire region and to monitor and conserve existing population numbers towards a sustainable population. LOCAL TARGETS Targets awaited CURRENT STATUS The polecat is a species "of some conservation significance" (Birks 1997). Historically, it has experienced conflict with poultry and game keeping bodies since the Middle Ages, but now enjoys legal protection from killing and trapping under Schedule 6 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). The polecat is a native British mammal, the species found in Britain being the European or Western polecat. Despite it's name, the polecat is a member of the weasel family, the Mustelidae. Up to the middle of the last century they were reported as common and widespread throughout the British mainland. The advent of game shooting and its management led to a sharp decline in the status of the polecat, reducing its population to a small isolated area of Mid Wales. Due to a decline in trapping during the 20th century, the polecat population in Britain has increased. It has become more common in Wales and now populates every Welsh county, apart from Anglesey, and is starting to recolonise border counties, including the Cheshire region where it has not lived since the 1890s. The Cheshire Wildlife Trust have been closely monitoring the population. Records of polecats on the r

19. Catching And Handling Of Small Mustelids (Techniques) Martes martes Pine marten and Mustela putorius - polecat are listedin Schedule 6 of the wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It http://212.187.155.84/pass_06june/List_WPMod_Cont/UKWildlifeFirstAid/Health&Man/

TECHNIQUE Catching and Handling of Small Mustelids (Wildlife Casualty Management) Summary Information Type of technique / Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation / Techniques: Synonyms and Keywords Description This page has been prepared for the " UK Wildlife: First Aid and Legislation " WILD Pro module, and is designed for the needs of the following species: Martes martes - Pine marten, Mustela erminea - Stoat, Mustela nivalis - Common weasel, Mustela putorius - Polecat, Mustela vison - American mink Catching and handling: It may be possible to tempt animals of these species to enter a drainpipe leading into a box, as for ferrets; this would allow an individual to be caught and transported without any handling. ( Handle with caution , wear stout leather gloves: these animals will bite and hold on and bites may be severe. The animal may be gripped quickly with gloved hands around its neck and forequarters ( The animal may be restrained with one hand holding the back of the neck and the other extending the hind legs and tail ( Nets may be used for restraint of these species ( A dog grasper may be used to handle Martes martes - Pine marten

20. Polecat 2) Birks, J. 1993 The Return of the polecat. British wildlife Vol5 no3 3) Briggs,JJ 1843 Melbourne; Its Natural History and Antiquities. Vol 1. MSS. http://www.dbrc.freeserve.co.uk/html/body_polecat.html

The Fall and Rise of the Polecat in Derbyshire (first published in DNHS Observations 1994) N.J.Moyes Derbyshire Biological Records Centre Derby Museum "......But these moors are the chosen haunt of the red grouse, and as such fall under the rule of the gamekeeper. Naturally therefore the British representatives of the family Mustelidae are becoming every year more and more restricted in numbers. The marten has already gone and the polecat bids fair to follow, although sixty years ago it was far from uncommon." Rev F.C.R.Jourdain. 1905 in Victoria County History of Derbyshire Polecat head showing typical markings Written over ninety years ago, these words reflect the sad story of the decline of an attractive and distinctive predator from Derbyshire. Like so many of our rarer British species, it was due solely to the activities of man. Regarded as vermin and an undesirable pest, the polecat's downfall was brought about at the hands of the gamekeeper. It was shot and trapped in order to protect game animals such as grouse and pheasants, as well as poultry and even rabbits. By the turn of the century it had all but disappeared from the county, and indeed the country, but managed somehow to avoid total extinction by surviving in parts of mid-Wales where the

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