I saw a neat TV show on the Discovery channel the other day.  I believe
it was called "Balance of Nature" (I don't have a TV guide to check and I
forgot to write it down, duh), and is part of a series (I believe) about
wildlife behind (rusty) iron curtain.  It's worth watching.  Since
Discovery channel usually repeats things, perhaps someone with a TV Guide
could check if its coming on again and post.
 
The main thrust of the program was about the European Mink, and the
problems introducing North American Mink to its habitat to try to improve
the fur quality caused.  North American males come into season 2wks+
before European males, but North American/European hybrids are not viable.
The show, while following the development of a mink litter also included
an ermine litter, and shots of other Eurasian mustelids.
 
The neatest part were the sections about the Polecat family.  It looked
just like a whole family of domestic ferrets.  Except for the fact they
were all dark sables, and had the nicest, thickest coats I've ever seen.
 
Anyway, I've gone on long enough
 
hope you can catch the show
 
Liana Winsauer       [log in to unmask]
and the zoo--Neko, Totoro, Akira and Kogeki the ferrets, plus one iguana,
three cats, one husband and one human kit
 
[Posted in FML issue 0817]