hi all,
 
In response to the questions about ferret's closest relatives, etc:
 
see http://waffs.org.au/familytree/
 
This is a species chart of Family: Mustelidae
 
Sourced mainly from
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/chordata/mammalia/carnivora/
mustelidae.html
 
From what i have read, the Domestic Ferret's closest relatives would be
Mustela putorius berberii (Berber polecat) (not sure if this is solitary /
social) and Mustela putorius (European polecat), which is apparently
solitary.
 
Meerkats are not closely related; they are in the Herpestidae Family.
 
Otters are within the Mustelidae Family, but mainly in the Lutrinae
sub-family (not Mustelinae sub-family as domestic ferrets are)
 
Some species I would love to see :)
Ictonyx striatus (Zorilla)
Mydaus javanensis (Indonesian Stink Badger)
Melogale personata (Burmese Ferret Badger)
 
hope this helps :)
shona
tarvi & tyson
[Posted in FML issue 4083]