We all know that many misconceptions about domestic ferrets have been
spread throughout the years.  A new one may be on the horizon.  SARS
has recently been linked to civet cats.  I just read a SARS article on
the Baltimore Sun's web site which states, "Civet cats are from the same
animal family as ferrets."  WRONG!  Civet cats are Viverrids, but ferrets
are Mustelids.  Since this was an AP article, this misinformation may
have been widely disseminated.
 
Please be on the lookout for this error in news articles about SARS and
contact the editors if you see it.  In my e-mail to the Baltimore Sun, I
quoted from Britannica Online for credibility.  The last thing we need
is for people to think that ferrets may carry SARS.
 
---Clare Sebok, with Mustelids Bonnie, Charlie and Lucy
[Posted in FML issue 4158]