> From: BOB NIXON <[log in to unmask]>
 
(Stuff about ferrets being polecats deleted)
 
> From: Chris
 
> "Nothing more than domesticated polecats"?  You mean like a chihuahua
> is nothing more than a domesticated wolf?
 
I remember this same argument on rec.pets with this gentleman, and we were
unable to sway his opinion.  I doubt that it will do any good this time
either...
 
Brian
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[I remember that discussion too.  Lest anyone worry that it will devolve into
the same textbook thumping rec.pets did, it won't.  The main comment I had
on that discussion is that "nothing more than domesticated polecats" has
a variety of meaningless meanings.  I'm perfectly willing to stipulate
that domestic ferrets are the descendents of Mustela Furo, and are probably,
genetically, almost identical and are, for all intents and purposes, the
same species.  But, so what?  So are chihuahuas and wolves.  Chihuahuas and
wolves may be almost 100% genetically identical, but they are still rather
different animals.  As are ferrets and polecats.
 
From a biologist's perspective, yes, ferrets are indeed nothing more than
a domesticated polecat.  As a chihuahua is nothing more than a
domesticated wolf (with some braindamaged breeders thrown in ;-) But
they are still different animals.  Perhaps a biologist would grant us
that ferrets are a separate race, but who cares?  They *aren't* the
same animal.  And that's all that matters to us.]
 
[Posted in FML issue 0964]