[log in to unmask] writes: >Is there any way you can find out *precisely* the species name of the ferret >that occurs ferally in N.Z.? Since we don't know what species, or subspecies, the ferret belongs to, knowing that wouldn't make much of a difference. It's either a subspecies of the Steppe Polecat, Mustela eversmanni furo; of the European Polecat (which would better be called Forest Polecat, as there are four polecat species in Europe), Mustela putorius furo; or a separate species Mustela furo. Perhaps future research can tell us which is the "best" designation, but today there's no agreement about it. (The Steppe Polecat was once called Mustela putorius eversmanni and the River Polecat, Mustela lutreola, was considered to be two different species. Once there was supposed to be Mediterranean Polecat on the Iberian peninsula which is now considered M. putorius, so these things clearly change over time.) As for "feral ferrets", some European scientists who know the difference between polecats, ferrets and polecat-ferrets say the feral populations on European islands are ferrets, some say they are polecat-ferrets. My opinion is that all, or practically all, our ferrets are actually polecat-ferrets, if perhaps not to a large amount (I've got two that are at least 1/8:th) and that it doesn't make any difference as to whether they can become feral or not. What matters is most likely early training. After all, ferrets where used for hunting (and still are) as well as pest control for a long time in history. -- Urban Fredriksson [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 1065]