European polecat populations. Compared to other British carnivores, such as otters and badgers, the polecat has received little exposure in popular media. A study conducted on rural school children showed only 3.8% of the surveyed children could identify polecats in photographs, whereas 83.7% correctly identified otters. A caged polecat appears as a key character of Saki's short story "Sredni Vashtar". European polecat The European polecat ("Mustela putorius") – also known as the common ferret, black or forest polecat, or fitch (as well as some other names) – is a species of mustelid native to western Eurasia and north Morocco. It is of
Saharan striped polecat night in the open in a quite deliberate way with its tail held vertically. Before releasing the anal emission it will raise its fur in an attempt to warn the potential attacker. In Tunisia these animals are often caught and exploited because of the tribal belief that they may increase male fertility. Saharan striped polecat The Saharan striped polecat, also known as the Saharan striped weasel, Libyan striped weasel, and the North African striped weasel ("Ictonyx libycus") is a species of mammal in the family Mustelidae. This animal is sometimes characterized as being a part of the genus "Poecilictis", and