Is this a Polecat?

Vipera · #1 (**permalink**) 19-09-2009, 08:14 PM

Driving back from a site where we found some juvenile sand lizards, some animal run out onto the road just in front of us (near Midhurst west sussex), luckily we avoided it and did a quick u turn to go and have a better look, we think its a polecat, whatevr it is i have never seen one before so i'm quite excited!

Thanks
Jay

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 19-09-2009, 08:19 PM

Hard to distinguish from feral ferrets, but this one looks like a genuine polecat to me. Darkened patches behind the ears, face shape and mask length indicate that it is genuine.

Although the foot colour looks abit odd hmm.......

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 04:55 AM

I'd be inclined to say it was a Polecat/Ferret cross.

camo · #4 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 08:11 AM

I think i would go for Polecat cross because of the indistinct mask. However i am keen to see an experts opinion.

Roy

Rob_D · #5 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 03:58 PM

I'm no expert but definitely not a pure polecat. His mask is wrong - the white goes all around his nose, but in a pure polecat the brown touches it on the top. He also has a huge white throat patch and he has white fur on his feet. There are records of pure polecats in W Sussex, but this is either a hybrid, or an escaped ferret.

Nice photo's though.

willing to learn · #6 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 04:06 PM

Not a pure polecat, perhaps a hybred escapee or even desendant? I also think
being predominantly nocturnal and shy it would have made its escape sharp.
Regards
Colin

Vipera · #7 (**permalink**) 20-09-2009, 04:15 PM

Awwww, i was hoping it was a genuine Polecat, still it was nice to see it, thanks for the replies

Hobjob · #8 (**permalink**) 22-09-2009, 10:52 AM

A pure polecat in Midhurst would be unusual surely?

There was a long thread last year about the spread of polecats around UK, have a look back.

I'd have been thrilled pure or feral

camo · #9 (**permalink**) 22-09-2009, 09:25 PM

Living in Bedfordshire we are within the spread of Polecats however they are still very mixed in their breeding. Over the last four months I have collected 4 road casualties all within two miles of my home with two being killed on the same spot of the road. The majority are crossbreeds but i will photograph them at the weekend for members to make their minds up.

Roy

Phoebe · #10 (**permalink**) 22-09-2009, 10:06 PM

It looks more like a ferret to me but could be a polecat/ferret cross. The white on the feet and knees and the white' bib' tell me that it is a 'mitt' as it is known in the ferret world, so it could be a cross with a mitt ferret. I have one very like this and I also have a ferret whose mother, so I was told, was a wild polecat.