We get a lot of calls from people who think they have found a ferret when it is a mink, weasel or stoat. If it isn't a ferret it is normally a mink. These animals are wild and can bite so please DO NOT try to catch them. Do not feed them. Leave them to live naturally. Below is some pictures to help you recognise the difference.

 

Ferret - Ferrets are domesticated from European Polecats so generally will not survive in the wild but some do. These come in many colours and sizes.

 

             

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The Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) is a small carnivorous North American prairie animal closely related to the  Steppe Polecat from Russia, and a member of the diverse family Mustelidae which also includes Weasels, Mink, Polecats, Martens, Otters, and Nadgers. It should not be confused with its close relative the  domesticated ferret.

The Black-footed Ferret is an endangered mammal in North America.

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European Polecat - The European Polecat is the wild ancestor of the domesticated ferret. Generally they have dark shiny coats with pale yellow underbody fur and a dark bandit mask across there eyes however this is not always the case as due to loose domesticated ferrets there are ferret-polecat hybrids in the wild. These are also breed for domestic. Normally for the health of future generations. Pure wild European polecats are not recommended as pets as can not be handled. Hybrids depend on temperaments.

 

 

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The Striped Polecat (also called the African Polecat, Zoril, Zorille or Zorilla) is found in savannahs and open country in sub-saharan Africa excluding the Congo Basin and West Africa.

The animal is mainly black but has four prominent white stripes running from the head, along the back to the tail. The Striped Polecat is typically 60 centimeters long including a 20-centimeter tail. It lives for up to 13 years.

The Striped Polecat is solitary, tolerating contact with others only to mate.

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 Marbled polecats are generally found in the dryer areas and grasslands of south-eastern Europe to western China. Ranging in length from 29–35 cm (head and body), the marbled polecat has a short muzzle and very large, noticeable ears. Like other members of Mustelinae, it can emit a strong smelling secretion from anal sacs under the tail when threatened.

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The Steppe polecat is found in the open grasslands and semi-deserts of Eastern Europe and republics of the former USSR, as well as Mongolia and West, Central and North East China. 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. This closer resembles the look of a ferret.

 

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MINK - European Minks always have a large white patch on its upper lip, while the American species sometimes does not. American Mink have found their way into the wild in europe including Great Britain. American Mink are believed by some to have contributed to the decline of the less hardy European Mink.

 

 

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Stoat - Stoats are small, long and slender. Their coat is a rich red-brown with tan or off-white belly, the tail has a conspicuous black tip.

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Weasel - Weasels are very similar to the Stoat but does not have the black tip on tale.