What might be living in the wild are fitch or fitch ferrets.  These are
wild polecat or polecat-ferret hybrids, and not entirely identical to the
domestic ferret, though the appearance is almost exactly the same.
Unless the animals seen living in the wild are one of the more unusual
color breeds, I'd put my money on polecats rather than ferrets.
 
E.S., Hershey and Nestle'
[Posted in FML issue 1182]