What is the scientific name of the european polecat?
European polecat
As well as the several indigenous names referring to smell (see above), the scientific name "Mustela putorius" is also derived from this species' foul smell. The Latin "putorius" translates to "stench" or "stink" and is the origin of the English word "putrid".
Marbled polecat
Marbled polecats are found in open desert, semidesert, and semiarid rocky areas in upland valleys and low hill ranges, steppe country and arid subtropical scrub forest. They avoid mountainous regions. Marbled polecats have been sighted in cultivated areas such as melon patches and vegetable fields.
European robin
The European robin ("Erithacus rubecula"), known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in the British Isles, is a small insectivorous passerine bird, specifically a chat, that was formerly classified as a member of the thrush family (Turdidae) but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher. About 12.5–14.0 cm (5.0–5.5 inches) in length, the male and female are similar in colouration, with an orange breast and face lined with grey, brown upperparts and a whitish belly. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa; it is sedentary in most of its range except the far north.
European polecat
The western border of the European polecat's range in the former Soviet Union begins from the mouth of the Danube in the south approximately to northwest of Suoyarvi, on the Finnish border in the north. In Karelia, its northern border extends from the former point towards the southeast to the Spassk Bay of Lake Onega, thereby passing around the West Karelian uplands from the south and then, passing around these uplands from the east, it suddenly ascends directly to the north passing in particular, near the western shore of Segozer and reaches Rugozer. From there, the border line turns northeast, crossing the Lakhta and reaching Kem on the White Sea. From Archangelsk, the border reaches Mezen, thus attaining the species' most northerly range. From the Mezen River's mouth, the border abruptly returns south, approaching closer to the upper Mezen near 64° lat. From there, the polecat's northern border goes on to the upper Vychegda River, and descends further on southwards and in the Urals. Its eastern range apparently extends along the Urals, embracing Sverdlovsk from the west. It is probably absent in the southern Urals, where the steppe polecat occurs. The southern border of the polecat's range starts in the west of the Danube's mouth and extends eastward along the coast of the Black Sea reaching the mouth of the Dnepr, from which it moves back from the shore of the Azov Sea and, along it, goes to the mouth of the Don. From the mouth and lower course of the Don, its range passes into the steppe region of western and middle Ciscaucasia. The European polecat is absent from the Saratov steppes of Transvolga, instead being encountered only in the extreme lower Bolshoy and Maly Irgiz Rivers. Further on, the border goes to the north along the Volga River. It steeply returns east somewhat south at the Samara bend, passing around Obshchy Syrt, reaching the Urals at the latitude of Magnitogorsk. The range of the polecat within the former Soviet Union has expanded northwards. From 1930-1952 for example, the polecat colonised northwestern Karelia and southern Finland.
European polecat
The European polecat is widespread in the western Palaearctic to the Urals in the Russian Federation, though it is absent from Ireland, northern Scandinavia, and much of the Balkans and eastern Adriatic coast. It occurs only marginally in northern Greece. It is found in Morocco in the Rif Mountains, from sea level to 2400 m. Its domesticated form, the ferret, was introduced in Britain, and some Mediterranean islands and New Zealand.
European polecat
In modern times, the European polecat is found throughout most of rural Wales and in England from Cheshire south to Somerset, and east to Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, although it had become extinct in most of England and survived only in Wales, where the population has spread over the border. The species was reintroduced into the Cumberland and Westmorland, Argyll and on Speyside during the 1970s and 1980s, though the current status of these populations is unknown. Its modern distribution is unclear to a certain extent because of the presence of polecat-ferret hybrids. Aside from the reintroductions, factors aiding the recovery of British polecat populations include an increase in rabbit populations and a lessening of persecution by gamekeepers. Its population has been considered viable since the mid-1990s. The European polecat is afforded both national and European protection; it is listed on
Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Regulation 41 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 and is listed on Annex V of the Habitats Directive. A survey carried out by the Vincent Wildlife Trust in 2015 found that the polecat had spread into areas (such as East Anglia and South Yorkshire) where they had not been seen for 100 years. Naturalist Chris Packham termed the spread "...one of the great natural recoveries."
Striped polecat
The striped polecat is an aggressive and very territorial animal. It marks its territory with its feces and through an anal spray. The spray serves as a defense against predators, in a similar manner as employed by skunks. The spray, released by anal stink glands, temporarily blinds their adversaries and irritates the mucous membranes, resulting in an intense burning sensation. Before spraying the opponent with this noxious fluid, the striped polecat will often take a deimatic (threat) stance with its back arched, rear end facing the opponent, and tail straight up in the air.
Striped polecat
Striped polecats are about in length, including their tails, and tall to the shoulders on average. They weigh anywhere from to , generally, the males being the larger of the two sexes. Their specific coloring varies by location. Generally they are black on the underside, white on the tail, with stripes running from their heads down their backs and on their cheeks. The legs and feet are black. Their skulls are usually around long, and they have unique face mask coloring, often including a white spot on their head, and white ears. These masks are thought to serve as warnings to potential predators or other antagonists.
European robin
The European robin was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his "Systema Naturae" under the binomial name "Motacilla rubecula". Its specific epithet "rubecula" is a diminutive derived from the Latin "ruber" 'red'. The genus "Erithacus" was introduced by French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1800, giving the bird its current binomial name "E. rubecula". The genus name "Erithacus" is from Ancient Greek and refers to an unknown bird, now usually identified as robin.
Mink
American mink are believed by some to have contributed to the decline of the less hardy European mink through competition (though not through hybridization—native European mink are in fact more closely related to polecats than to North American mink). Trapping is used to control or eliminate introduced American mink populations.
Carex pulicaris
Carex pulicaris, the flea sedge, is a species of sedge in the genus "Carex" native to Europe.
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 its coloration resembles that of the striped polecat.
European polecat
The European polecat's diet consists of mouse-like rodents, followed by amphibians and birds. Its most frequent prey item in the former Soviet Union is the common vole and rarely the red-backed vole. In large river floodlands, water vole are common prey. In spring and winter, amphibians (especially grass frogs and green toads) become important food items. Selective predation on male frogs by the polecat decreases the occurrence of polyandry in frog populations. However, because amphibians have little calorific value, the polecat never grows fat on them, no matter how many it consumes. In Central Europe, the diet in winter months is dominated by birds including quail, grey partridges, grouse, chickens, pigeons and passerines. Seasonal changes in the activity rhythm is synchronised with the activity of the main prey. Some species only rarely preyed upon by the polecat include European hedgehogs, asp vipers, grass snakes and insects. In the British Isles, it commonly kills brown rats and European rabbits, and is capable of killing larger prey, such as geese and hares. One polecat was reported to frequently wait at a riverbank and catch eels, which it took back to its burrow. The polecat feeds on eels mostly during lengthy frosts when eels, unable to breathe air at regular intervals because of the ice, congregate at breathing holes. Unlike the stoat and weasel, the polecat readily eats carrion, including that of large ungulates. The European polecat hunts its prey by stalking it and seizing it with its canine teeth, killing the animal with a bite to the neck. This killing method is instinctive, but perfected with practice. The polecat sometimes caches its food, particularly during seasonal gluts of frogs and toads. Sometimes, the polecat does not kill these, but bites them at the base of the skull, thus paralyzing them and keeping them fresh for later consumption. Although they are normally shy around humans, naturalist Alfred Brehm in his "Brehms Tierleben" mentions an exceptional case in which three polecats attacked a baby in Hesse. During the winter period, when live prey is scarce, the European polecat may raid beehives and feed on the honey.
Polecat–ferret hybrid
A polecat–ferret hybrid is a hybrid between a wild European polecat ("Mustela putorius") and a domesticated ferret ("Mustela putorius furo"). Offspring of a such a cross between the two animals typically have a distinct white throat patch, white feet and white hairs interspersed among the fur. It is currently impossible to distinguish pure polecats from hybrids through DNA analysis, as the two forms are too closely related and inter-mixed to be separated through current (2010) genetic methods.
Europelta
"Europelta" was by the authors considered to be the oldest known nodosaurid from Europe. They pointed out that its appearance, as a nodosaurid successor of Polacanthidae, paralleled a comparable co-eval succession of polacanthids by nodosaurids in North-America. They suggested that this was not a coincidence but an indication that the faunae of North-America and Europe had not yet been separated by the developing northern Atlantic Ocean, as had been presumed earlier.
Steppe polecat
In captivity, mating was observed in early March till the end of the month. In the Moscow Zoo, seven cases were observed of polecats mating from 9 April till 9 June. Symptoms of estrus were noted on 12–13 March, and continued to develop for two to three weeks. After mating, these symptoms disappeared within three to four weeks. The mating season in western Siberia occurs in March, while in Transbaikalia it occurs to the end of May. Copulation lasts from 20 minutes to three hours. Estrus may last longer or be repeated should a female fail to produce a litter or if the litter dies prematurely. Typically, the steppe polecat mates once a year and produces one litter. The gestation period lasts from 36–43 days. Placentation occurs two weeks after mating, with the blastocyst stage lasting seven to eight days. Litters usually consist of three to six kits, though litters of 18 are known.
Striped polecat
The striped polecat is a solitary creature, often only associating with other members of its species in small family groups or for the purpose of breeding. It is nocturnal, hunting mostly at night. During the day it will burrow into the brush or sleep in the burrows of other animals. Most often striped polecats are found in habitats with large ungulate populations, because of the lower level of shrub that often accompanies the presence of these grazers.
European polecat
In some parts of the British Isles, the abandoning of domestic ferrets has led to ferret-polecat crossbreeds living in the wild. Ferrets were likely first brought to Britain after the Norman Conquest of England, or as late as the fourteenth century. It is currently impossible to distinguish pure polecats from hybrids through DNA analysis, as the two forms are too closely related and intermixed to be separated through modern genetic methods. Crossbreeds between the two animals typically have a distinct white throat patch, white feet and white hairs interspersed among the fur. Typically, first generation crossbreeds between polecats and ferrets develop their wild parents' fear of humans if left with their mothers during the critical socialisation period between 7½ and 8½ weeks of age. Occasionally, supposed ferret-polecat crossbreeds are advertised as superior to pure ferrets for the purposes of rabbiting, though actual crossbreeds are very likely to be less handleable, less willing to familiarise themselves with dogs, and are more likely to kill their quarry outright rather than simply flush it from its burrow.
Wildcat
The wildcat is a species complex of small cats comprising the European wildcat ("Felis silvestris") and the African wildcat ("F. lybica"). The former is native to Europe and the Caucasus. The latter ranges through much of Africa, Southwest and Central Asia into India and western China.
Eurasian collared dove
The Eurasian collared dove ("Streptopelia decaocto"), most often simply called the collared dove, also sometimes hyphenated as Eurasian collared-dove, is a species of dove native to warm temperate and subtropical Asia, and introduced in North America in the 1980s. In the latter half of the 20th century the species' native range vastly expanded, and it can now be found from Southeast Asia through to Western Europe.
Scottish wildcat
Results of morphological and genetic analyses indicate that the Scottish wildcat descended from the European wildcat. The population in Britain got isolated about 7,000 to 9,000 years ago due to a rise of sea level after the last glacial maximum.
Since 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the Cat Specialist Group recognizes "Felis silvestris silvestris" as the valid scientific name for all European wildcat populations, and "F. s. grampia" as a synonym, arguing that it is doubtful that the Scottish wildcat is sufficiently distinct to accord it a separate subspecific status.
European polecat
Polecats are able to hybridise with the rare European mink, producing offspring termed "khor'-tumak" by furriers and "khonorik" (from Russian words for ferret and mink) by fanciers. Such hybridisation is very rare in the wild, and typically only occurs where European minks are declining. A polecat-mink hybrid has a poorly defined facial mask, yellow fur on the ears, grey-yellow underfur and long, dark brown guard hairs. It is fairly large, with a male attaining the peak sizes known for European polecats (weighing 1,120-1,746 g and measuring 41–47 cm in length), and a female is much larger than female European minks (weighing 742 g and measuring 37 cm in length). The majority of polecat-mink hybrids have skulls bearing greater similarities to those of polecats than to minks. Hybrids can swim well like minks and burrow for food like polecats. They are very difficult to tame and breed, as males are sterile, though females are fertile. The first captive polecat-mink hybrid was created in 1978 by Soviet zoologist Dr. Dmitry Ternovsky of Novosibirsk. Originally bred for their fur (which was more valuable than that of either parent species), the breeding of these hybrids declined as European mink populations decreased. Studies on the behavioural ecology of free-ranging polecat-mink hybrids in the upper reaches of the Lovat River indicate hybrids will stray from aquatic habitats more readily than pure minks, and will tolerate both parent species entering their territories, though the hybrid's larger size (especially the male's) may deter intrusion. During the summer period, the diets of wild polecat-mink hybrids are more similar to those of minks than to the polecats, as they feed predominantly on frogs. During the winter, their diets overlap more with those of polecats, and will eat a larger proportion of rodents than in the summer, though they still rely heavily on frogs and rarely scavenge ungulate carcasses as polecats do.
European polecat
The European polecat is present in all of France's territories, excepting Corsica, and has been in a state of decline for several decades. Nevertheless, it is listed as Least Concern on France's Red Data Book. The European polecat is rare in numerous regions or départements. In the Rhone-Alps region, its population has undergone a sizeable decline since the 1990s, largely as a consequence of poisoning campaigns against muskrats. A 1999 study on the decline of polecats in this region indicated the species has little chance of surviving there. Elsewhere, it is considered either rare or sporadic in 22 districts and absent or extirpated in 22 others. In Drôme, for example, polecat populations have been decreasing since 1975, and have disappeared in 27 communes in Isère. Its numbers are declining in Morvan and Ariège, and is thinly distributed in Brittany. Although present in Aquitaine, its numbers have been dropping since the 1950s, and is very rare in the mountain regions. In Normandy, the speed of the polecat's decline has somewhat decreased. In the alpine départements, its range is limited by altitude, as the species relies on more Mediterranean climates to thrive. It is, however, especially abundant in the irrigated Crau, but is absent on the eastern part of the area, apparently being restricted by the valleys of the Durance and Rhone Rivers. The largest populations occur in Northern France: Pas de Calais, Central France ; Alsace, Lorraine and the areas of the Loire with the Vendée, which holds the largest record of polecat observations. It is common in all the départements of Champagne-Ardenne.
Black-footed ferret
The reproductive physiology of the black-footed ferret is similar to that of the European polecat and the steppe polecat. It is probably polygynous, based on data collected from home range sizes, skewed sex ratios, and sexual dimorphism. Mating occurs in February and March. When a male and female in estrus encounter each other, the male sniffs the genital region of the female, but does not mount her until after a few hours have elapsed, which is contrast to the more violent behavior displayed by the male European polecat. During copulation, the male grasps the female by the nape of the neck, with the copulatory tie lasting from 1.5–3 hours. Unlike other mustelids, the black-footed ferret is a habitat specialist with low reproductive rates. In captivity, gestation of black-footed ferrets lasts 42–45 days. Litter size ranges from 1–5 kits. Kits are born in May and June in prairie dog burrows. Kits are altricial and are raised by their mother for several months after birth. Kits first emerge above ground in July, at 6 weeks old. They are then separated into individual prairie dog burrows around their mother's burrow. Kits reach adult weight and become independent several months following birth, from late August to October. Sexual maturity occurs at one year of age.
Polecat–ferret hybrid
In some parts of Britain, the escape of domesticated ferrets has led to ferret–polecat hybridisation in the wild. Ferrets were likely first brought to Britain after the Norman conquest of England (in the 11th century) or as late as the 14th century. John George Wood wrote in 1870 that polecat–ferrets were sometimes used by hunters alongside pure ferrets. 
In modern times, alleged ferret–polecat hybrids are occasionally advertised as superior to pure ferrets for the purposes of rabbiting, though actual hybrids are very likely to be less handleable, less willing to familiarise themselves with dogs, and more likely to kill their quarry outright rather than simply flush it from its burrow.
Black-footed ferret
The black-footed ferret has a long slender body with black outlines such as the feet, ears, parts of the face and its tail. The forehead is arched and broad, and the muzzle is short. It has few whiskers, and its ears are triangular, short, erect and broad at the base. The neck is long and the legs short and stout. The toes are armed with sharp, very slightly arched claws. The feet on both surfaces are covered in hair, even to the soles, thus concealing the claws. It combines several physical features common in both members of the subgenus "Gale" (least, short-tailed and long-tailed weasels) and "Putorius" (European and steppe polecats). Its skull resembles that of polecats in its size, massiveness and the development of its ridges and depressions, though it is distinguished by the extreme degree of constriction behind the orbits where the width of the cranium is much less than that of the muzzle. Although similar in size to polecats, its attenuate body, long neck, very short legs, slim tail, large orbicular ears and close-set pelage is much closer in conformation to weasels and stoats. The dentition of the black-footed ferret closely resembles that of the European and steppe polecat, though the back lower molar is vestigial, with a hemispherical crown which is too small and weak to develop the little cusps which are more apparent in polecats.
Pelobates syriacus
Pelobates syriacus, the eastern spadefoot or Syrian spadefoot, is a species of toad in the family Pelobatidae, native to an area extending from Eastern Europe to Western Asia.
Helix pomatia
Helix pomatia, common names the Roman snail, Burgundy snail, edible snail or escargot, is a species of large, edible, air-breathing land snail, a pulmonate gastropod terrestrial mollusc in the family Helicidae. It is a European species. In the English language it is called by the French name "escargot" when used in cooking ("escargot" simply means 'snail'). Although this species is highly prized as a food, it is difficult to cultivate and rarely farmed commercially.
Wildcat
In 1778, Johann von Schreber described the European wildcat using the scientific name "Felis (catus) silvestris".
In 1780, Georg Forster described a cat from the Barbary Coast using the name "Felis lybica".
In subsequent decades, several naturalists and explorers described 40 wildcats from European, African and Asian countries. The taxonomist Reginald Innes Pocock reviewed the collection of wildcat skins in the British Museum, and in 1951 designated seven "Felis silvestris" subspecies from Europe to Asia Minor, and 25 "Felis lybica" subspecies from Africa, and West to Central Asia.
Marbled polecat
Marbled polecats are most active during the morning and evening. Their eyesight is weak and they rely on a well-developed sense of smell. Vocalization is limited and consists of shrill alarm cries, grunts and a submissive long shriek.
European polecat
The earliest true polecat was "Mustela stromeri", which appeared during the late Villafranchian period. It was considerably smaller than the present form, thus indicating polecats evolved at a relatively late period. The oldest modern polecat fossils occur in Germany, Britain and France, and date back to the Middle Pleistocene. The European polecat's closest relatives are the steppe polecat and black-footed ferret, with which it is thought to have shared "Mustela stromeri" as a common ancestor. The European polecat is, however, not as maximally adapted in the direction of carnivory as the steppe polecat, being less specialised in skull structure and dentition. The European polecat likely diverged from the steppe polecat 1.5 million years ago based on IRBP, though cytochrome b transversions indicate a younger date of 430,000 years. It is also closely related to the European mink, with which it can hybridise.
Pollaxe
The pollaxe is a type of European polearm. It was widely used by medieval infantry. It is also known by the names poleaxe, pole-axe, pole axe, polax, and Hache (French meaning axe).
European polecat
The polecat may be preyed upon by red foxes, and both wild and domestic cats. Although the polecat can coexist with the European mink (though there is one record of a polecat attacking a European mink and dragging it to its burrow), it suffers in areas where the invasive American mink also occurs, as the latter species feeds on the same mammalian species as the polecat much more frequently than the European mink, and has been known to drive the polecat out of wetland habitats. In areas where the European polecat is sympatric with the steppe polecat, the two species overlap greatly in choice of food, though the former tends to consume more household foods and birds, while the latter preys on mammals more frequently. There is at least one record of a beech marten killing a polecat. The European polecat may prey on the much smaller least weasel.
Steppe polecat
The winter fur is soft and tall, with short, dense underfur and long, sparse guard hairs. The fur is generally shorter and not as thick as that of the European polecat. The guard hairs are especially well developed on the lower back, though still sparser than those of the European polecat. Contrary to the former, the steppe polecat's guard hairs never completely cover the underfur. The base colour of the winter fur is very light yellowish or whitish-yellowish. The tips of the guard hairs are blackish-brown or brown, forming a frosting effect over the yellow underfur. This frosting is stronger in the middle and lower back, where the guard hairs are denser and longer. The guard hairs on the upper back, the flanks, between the shoulders and along the upper neck are extremely short, thus being lighter in colour than the posterior region. The head is piebald, with the eye region and the upper side of the nose being covered by a brownish mask. Behind the mask, a white band crosses the head from cheek to cheek. A small brownish area is usually located in front of each ear. The ears are completely white, while the throat is yellowish-white or almost white. Sometimes, the head is entirely white. The lower surface of the neck is dark blackish-brown or brown, while the chest and forelegs are black or blackish-brown. The abdomen is light, yellowish-straw in colour. The groin is the same colour of the forelimbs. The base of the tail is light in colour, while the tip is dark brown. The summer coat is shorter and coarser than the winter fur, and is not as dense and close-fitting, with a more strongly developed ochreous or reddish tone. The head is, overall, darker than in winter, with greater contrast between the dark and white tones.
European polecat
In Kent, for example, at least 42 parishes paid bounties for polecats, of which three extended into the 19th century, though by this time only single individuals were recorded, and usually after gaps of many years. In the Kingdom of Scotland, during the reign of David II, an export duty of 4d. was imposed on each polecat fur trimmer, which was raised to 8d. in 1424. The species held an important place in Scotland's fur markets ; the annual Dumfries Fur Fair (1816–1874) sold 400 polecat pelts in 1829 and 600 in 1831. The following year, a contemporary account described polecat skins as "a drug on the market". In 1856, the number of sold pelts decreased to 240, 168 in 1860, 12 in 1866 and none in 1869. The decline was halted with the decrease in the intensity of gamekeeping during the 20 year interval between the First and Second World Wars.
Saharan striped polecat
This creature is known to spray a foul, skunk-like anal emission when threatened. It moves about at 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.
Ocelot
The scientific name of the ocelot is "Leopardus pardalis". It is a member of the genus "Leopardus" of the family Felidae. The species was first described as "Felis pardalis" by the Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of "Systema Naturae" (1758); he placed it in the genus "Felis" along with the domestic cat, Eurasian lynx, jaguar, leopard, lion and tiger.
Following Linnaeus's description, several more ocelot subspecies have been proposed in the 19th and 20th centuries:
Lynx
A lynx (; plural lynx or lynxes) is any of the four species (Canada lynx, Iberian lynx, Eurasian lynx, bobcat) within the medium-sized wild cat genus "Lynx". The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from the Greek word λύγξ, derived from the Indo-European root "leuk-" ('light, brightness') in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes.
Striped polecat
After conception, the gestation period for a striped polecat is about four weeks. During this time the mother prepares a nest for her offspring. The newborn polecats will be completely vulnerable; they are born blind, deaf, and naked. Around one to five offspring are born per litter in the summer season. Up to six can be supported at one time because the mother has six teats. The mother will protect her young until they are able to survive on their own.
Bobcat
The bobcat ("Lynx rufus") is a North American cat that appeared during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago (AEO). Containing 2 recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to central Mexico, including most of the contiguous United States. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semidesert, urban edge, forest edge, and swampland environments. It remains in some of its original range, but populations are vulnerable to local extinction ("extirpation") by coyotes and domestic animals. With a gray to brown coat, whiskered face, and black-tufted ears, the bobcat resembles the other species of the midsized genus "Lynx". It is smaller on average than the Canada lynx, with which it shares parts of its range, but is about twice as large as the domestic cat. It has distinctive black bars on its forelegs and a black-tipped, stubby (or "bobbed") tail, from which it derives its name.
European mink
The European mink is listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as declining more than 50% over the past three generations and expected to decline at a rate exceeding 80% over the next three generations. European mink numbers began to shrink during the 19th century, with the species rapidly becoming extinct in some parts of Central Europe. During the 20th century, mink numbers declined all throughout their range, the reasons for which having been hypothesised to be due to a combination of factors, including climate change, competition with (as well as diseases spread by) the introduced American mink, habitat destruction, declines in crayfish numbers and hybridisation with the European polecat. In Central Europe and Finland, the decline preceded the introduction of the American mink, having likely been due to the destruction of river ecosystems, while in Estonia, the decline seems to coincide with the spread of the American mink.
Pelobates fuscus
Pelobates fuscus is a species of toad in the family Pelobatidae, native to an area extending from Central Europe to Western Asia. It is commonly known as the "common spadefoot", "garlic toad", the "common spadefoot toad" and the "European common spadefoot".
Wildcat (disambiguation)
The wildcats ("Felis silvestris" and "Felis lybica") are small cats native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.
Polecat
Polecat is the common name for mammals in the order Carnivora and subfamily Mustelinae. Polecats do not form a single taxonomic rank; the name is applied to several species broadly similar to European polecats, the only species native to the British Isles.
Marbled polecat
Marbled polecats are known to eat ground squirrels, Libyan jirds ("Meriones libycus"), Armenian hamsters ("Cricetulus migratorius"), voles, mole rats ("Spalax lecocon ehrenbergi"), house mice ("Mus musculus"), and other rodents, small hares, birds, lizards, fish, frogs, snails, and insects (beetles and crickets), as well as fruit and grass. They are also recorded as taking small domestic poultry such as chickens and pigeons, as well as stealing smoked meat and cheese.
Ferret
The ferret ("Mustela putorius furo") is the domesticated form of the European polecat, a mammal belonging to the same genus as the weasel, "Mustela" of the family Mustelidae. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur. They have an average length of including a tail, weigh about , and have a natural lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females.
Galecyon
Galecyon ("polecat dog") is a genus of hyaenodont that lived during the early Eocene. It was endemic to North America. It has been found in the Clarks Fork and Powder River basins of Wyoming.
European polecat
The European polecat may suffer from distemper, influenza, the common cold and pneumonia. Occasionally, it is affected by malignant tumours and hydrocephaly. It commonly has broken teeth and, on rarer occasions, fatal abscesses on the jaw, head and neck. In mainland Europe, it is a carrier of trichinosis, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis and adiaspiromycosis. Incidences of polecats carrying rabies are high in some localized areas.
Ethiopian big-eared bat
The Ethiopian big-eared bat was described in 2000 and represents the farthest south that the genus "Plecotus" reaches in Africa, to the south of the two widespread Palearctic species brown long-eared bat "Plecotis auritus" and grey long-eared bat "Plecotus austriacus" . It forms a clade with the Canary big-eared bat "Plecotus teneriffae" which is clearly monophyletic and represents an ancient lineage within "Plecotus". Christi's big-eared bat is its closest congener in a geographical context but there is a subspecies of the Canary big-eared bat "P.t. gaisleri" in Cyrenaica, with populations of the Mediterranean long-eared bat "Plecotus kolombatovici" found between them. There is still a lot of research to be carried out to resolve the phylogenetic relationships in the genus "Plecotus".
European bass
The European bass was first described in 1758 by Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus in his work "Systema Naturae". He named it "Perca labrax". In the century and a half following, it was classified under a variety of new synonyms, with "Dicentrarchus labrax" winning out as the accepted name in 1987. Its generic name, "Dicentrarchus", derives Greek from the presence of two anal spines, "di" meaning two, "kentron" meaning sting, and "archos" meaning anus. The European bass is sold under dozens of common names in various languages. In the British Isles it is known as the "European bass," "European seabass," "common bass," "capemouth," "king of the mullets," "sea bass," "sea dace," "sea perch," "white mullet," "white salmon," or simply "bass."
Marbled polecat
Marbled polecats are solitary and move extensively through their 0.5- to 0.6-km home range. They generally only stay in a shelter once. When they encounter each other, they are usually aggressive.
European wildcat
The European wildcat is on average bigger and stouter than the domestic cat, has longer fur and a shorter non-tapering bushy tail. It has striped fur and a dark dorsal band. Males average a weight of up to , and females . Their weight fluctuates seasonally up to .
List of experimental cat breeds
The Pudelkatze is a German cat breed developed in the 1980s by Rosemarie Wolf. It is derived from crosses of the Devon Rex, the Scottish Fold, and the European Longhair (also known as the Britanica in Europe or Lowlander in the US). The option exists to introduce the Manx bloodline as well. This breed cannot be recognized in its native Germany due to legislation that bans the folded-ear traits. It is a large cat that resembles a chunky Devon Rex with a thick, dense lamb-like coat and folded ears.
Steppe polecat
Kits are born blind and naked, with pale rose skin and a membrane over the ears. At birth, they measure 6.5-7.0 cm in length and weigh 4.5 grams, though polecats born in the Moscow Zoo weighed 10 grams. Usually, the weight of newborn kits depends on litter size. A thin, white underfur appears on the body after three days, and the body length doubles, while the weight increases six-fold at up to 33 grams. Milk teeth erupt around the same time, and the feet begin to darken. On the 20th day, the kits darken in colour and weigh 70-72 grams. The eyes open after 28–34 days, and the kits become more active, to the point of attempting to tear apart prey whilst still relying on the mother's milk. At the age of one month, kits measure 190 mm in length and weigh 138 grams. By the age of 45 days, they are able to hunt young ground squirrels, and begin to target adults at the age of 60 days. The kits remain in the family burrow for 2.0-2.5 months. The kits begin to disperse from July or later, and attain sexual maturity at the age of 10 months. They reach adulthood at the age of two years.
Wildcat
The diet of wildcats in Great Britain varies geographically; in eastern Scotland, lagomorphs make up 70% of their diet, while in the west, 47% consists of small rodents. In Western Europe, the wildcat feeds on hamsters, brown rats, dormice, water voles, voles, and wood mice. From time to time, small carnivores (martens, polecats, stoats, and weasels) are preyed upon, as well as the fawns of red deer, roe deer, and chamois. In the Carpathians, the wildcat feeds primarily on yellow-necked mice, red-backed voles, and ground voles. European hares are also taken on occasion. In Transcarpathia, the wildcat's diet consists of mouse-like rodents, galliform birds, and squirrels. Wildcats in the Dnestr swamps feed on small voles, water voles, and birds, while those living in the Prut swamps primarily target water voles, brown rats, and muskrats. Birds taken by Prut wildcats include warblers, ferruginous ducks, coots, spotted crakes, and gadwalls. In Moldavia, the wildcat's winter diet consists primarily of rodents, while birds, fish, and crayfish are eaten in summer. Brown rats and water voles, as well as muskrats and waterfowl are the main sources of food for wildcats in the Kuban delta. Wildcats in the northern Caucasus feed on mouse-like rodents and edible dormice, as well as birds on rare occasions. On rare occasions, young chamois and roe deer, are also attacked. Wildcats on the Black Sea coast are thought to feed on small birds, shrews, and hares. On one occasion, the feathers of a white-tailed eagle and the skull of a kid were found at a den site. In Transcaucasia, the wildcat's diet consists of gerbils, voles, birds, and reptiles in the summer, and birds, mouse-like rodents, and hares in winter. Turkmenian wildcats feed on great and red-tailed gerbils, Afghan voles, thin-toed ground squirrels, tolai hares, small birds (particularly larks), lizards, beetles, and grasshoppers. Near Repetek, the wildcat is responsible for destroying over 50% of nests made by desert finches, streaked scrub warblers, red-tailed warblers, and turtledoves. In the Qarshi steppes of Uzbekistan, the wildcat's prey, in descending order of preference, includes great and red-tailed gerbils, jerboas, other rodents and passerine birds, reptiles, and insects. Wildcats in eastern Kyzyl Kum have similar prey preferences, with the addition of tolai hares, midday gerbils, five-toed jerboas, and steppe agamas. In Kyrgyzstan, the wildcat's primary prey varies from tolai hares near Issyk Kul, pheasants in the Chu and Talas valleys, and mouse-like rodents and gray partridges in the foothills. In Kazakhstan's lower Ili, the wildcat mainly targets rodents, muskrats, and Tamarisk gerbils. Occasionally, remains of young roe deer and wild boar are present in its faeces. After rodents, birds follow in importance, along with reptiles, fish, insects, eggs, grass stalks and nuts (which probably enter the cat's stomach through pheasant crops). In west Africa, the wildcat feeds on rats, mice, gerbils, hares, small to medium-sized birds (up to francolins), and lizards. In southern Africa, where wildcats attain greater sizes than their western counterparts, antelope fawns and domestic stock, such as lambs and kids are occasionally targeted.
Saharan striped polecat
Saharan striped polecats are about 55–70 cm in length, including their tails, and generally weigh between .5 and .75 kg. It is striped white in a non-uniform fashion and has black feet, legs, ears, and underside. Often a white ring goes around the face and above a black snout. It is sometimes confused with the striped polecat though it is generally smaller and has distinct facial markings.
European ratsnake
The European ratsnake or leopard snake ("Zamenis situla"), is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to Europe, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus.
Striped polecat
The striped polecat ("Ictonyx striatus) -" also called the African polecat, zoril, zorille, zorilla, Cape polecat, and African skunk - is a member of the family Mustelidae that resembles a skunk (of the family Mephitidae). The name "zorilla" comes from the word "zorro", which in Spanish means "fox". It lives predominantly in dry and arid climates, such as the savannahs and open country of Central, Southern, and sub-Saharan Africa, excluding the Congo basin and the more coastal areas of West Africa.
Boletus aereus
Bulliard gave "Boletus aereus" the common name of "le bolet bronzé" (the bronze bolete) in 1789, noting that it was called the "cep noir" (black cep) in other countries. It is commonly known as "ontto beltza" (black fungus) in Basque, "porcino nero" (black piglet) in Italian, and "Cèpe bronzé" in French. In Greek it is known as "vasilikό" (the royal one), or "kalogeraki" (little monk). The English common name is "dark cep", while the British Mycological Society also approved the name "bronze bolete".
European stonechat
The stonechat is 11.5–13 cm long and weighs 13–17 g, slightly smaller than the European robin. Both sexes have distinctively short wings, shorter than those of the more migratory whinchat and Siberian stonechat. The summer male has black upperparts, a black head, an orange throat and breast, and a white belly and vent. It also has a white half-collar on the sides of its neck, a small white scapular patch on the wings, and a very small white patch on the rump often streaked with black. The female has brown upperparts and head, and no white neck patches, rump or belly, these areas being streaked dark brown on paler brown, the only white being the scapular patch on the wings and even this often being buffy-white.
European mink
Fossil finds of the European mink are very rare, thus indicating the species is either a relative newcomer to Europe, probably having originated in North America, or a recent speciation caused by hybridization. It likely first arose in the Middle Pleistocene, with several fossils in Europe dated to the Late Pleistocene being found in caves and some suggesting early exploitation by humans. Genetic analyses indicate, rather than being closely related to the American mink, the European mink's closest relative is the European polecat (perhaps due to past hybridization) and the Siberian weasel, being intermediate in form between true polecats and other members of the genus. The closeness between the mink and polecat is emphasized because the species can hybridize.
Sympatric speciation
The European polecat ("Mustela putorius") exhibited a rare dark phenotype similar to the European mink ("Mustela lutreola") phenotype, which is directly influenced by peculiarities of forest brooks.
Eurasian sparrowhawk
In 17th century England, the Eurasian sparrowhawk was used by priests, reflecting their lowly status; whereas in the Middle Ages, they were favoured by ladies of noble and royal status because of their small size. The falconer's name for a male Eurasian sparrowhawk is a "musket"; this is derived from the Latin word "musca", meaning 'a fly', via the Old French word "moschet". The famous list in the mediaeval Book of Saint Albans refers to the female sparrowhawk as the "priest's bird" and the musket as "the clerk's bird".
Pileated parrot
The South American pileated parrot ("Pionopsitta pileata"), also known as the red-capped parrot (leading to easy confusion with the Australian "Purpureicephalus spurius"), is a medium-small species of parrot with a total length of about . It is found in or near the Atlantic Forest in south-eastern Brazil, far north-eastern Argentina and eastern Paraguay. A local name in Paraguayan Guaraní is cúiu cúiu.
Plasan Sand Cat
The SandCat was originally known as Caracal, but by Eurosatory 2006 the name SandCat had been adopted so as not to encourage confusion between the Plasan product and the version of IVECO’s LMV being offered to the German Bundeswehr as Caracal by the now Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Division.
Vincent Wildlife Trust
The European polecat population in Britain declined following widespread predator control, particularly in the late 19th century. Today, it has recolonised much of its former range. In order to gauge the extent of this range expansion, the Trust has carried out three national polecat distribution surveys since the 1990s, the most recent of which took place during 2014 and 2015. The Trust has carried out research to further understanding of the ecology of the polecat, including live trapping, radio-tracking, investigation of secondary rodenticide poisoning, and genetic analysis of hybridisation between polecats and ferrets.
Steppe polecat
The steppe polecat is a nomadic animal which typically only settles in one area until its prey, mainly ground squirrels, are extirpated. It mates from March to May, and generally gives birth to litters of three to six kits, which attain their full growth at the age of two years. It hunts for larger prey than the European polecat, including pikas and marmots.
Steppe polecat
Unlike the European polecat, which feeds mostly on mouse-like rodents, the steppe polecat preys on larger, steppe-dwelling mammals such as ground squirrels, hamsters, pikas and young or injured adult marmots. Ground squirrels are its most frequent prey throughout the year; in warm periods, they are hunted on the surface, while in autumn they are excavated from their burrows. Male polecats often have to widen squirrel burrows to enter them, while young or female polecats can usually enter them easily. In areas where ground squirrels are absent, the steppe polecat feeds primarily on hamsters and pikas, or water voles on the banks of water bodies. Along the shores of rivers and lakes, fish, chickens and carrion may be prey. Birds occasionally killed by the steppe polecat include grey partridges and willow grouse. Amphibians and reptiles are rarely eaten.
European jackal
The European jackal ("Canis aureus moreoticus"), also known as the Caucasian jackal or reed wolf is a subspecies of golden jackal native to Southeast Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. It was first described in 1833 by French naturalist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire during the Morea expedition. In Europe, there are an estimated 70,000 jackals. Though mostly found in scattered populations within Eastern Europe, its range has grown to encompass parts of its former Eastern European range, as well as in Western Europe, which is thought to be attributable to a decline in grey wolf populations.
Blitum bonus-henricus
Blitum bonus-henricus (syn. "Chenopodium bonus-henricus"), also called Good-King-Henry, Poor-man's Asparagus, Perennial Goosefoot, Lincolnshire Spinach, Markery, English mercury, or mercury goosefoot, is a species of goosefoot which is native to much of central and southern Europe.
European mink
The European mink ("Mustela lutreola"), also known as the Russian mink and Eurasian mink, is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to Europe.
Polecat
Despite the name, polecats, being various caniform mustelids, are more closely related to dogs than cats, which is why they belong to the suborder of Caniformiae.
Wildcat
The wildcat's direct ancestor was "Felis lunensis", or Martelli's wildcat, which lived in Europe as early as the late Pliocene. Fossil remains of the wildcat are common in cave deposits dating from the last ice age and the Holocene. At some point during the Late Pleistocene (possibly 50,000 years ago), the wildcat migrated from Europe into the Middle East, giving rise to the steppe wildcat phenotype. Within possibly 10,000 years, the steppe wildcat spread eastwards into Asia and southwards to Africa.
European polecat
The word "polecat" first appeared after the Norman Conquest of England, written as "polcat". While the second syllable is largely self-explanatory, the origin of the first is unclear. It is possibly derived from the French "poule", meaning "chicken", likely in reference to the species' fondness for poultry, or it may be a variant of the Old English "ful", meaning "foul". In Middle English, the species was referred to as "foumart", meaning "foul marten", in reference to its strong odour. In Old French, the polecat was called "fissau", which was derived from the Low German and Scandinavian verb for "to make a disagreeable smell". This was later corrupted in English as "fitchew" or "fitchet", which itself became the word "fitch", which is used for the polecat's pelt. The word "fitchet" is the root word for the North American fisher, which was named by Dutch colonists in America who noted similarities between the two species. In some countries such as New Zealand, the term "fitch" has taken on a wider use to refer to related creatures such as ferrets, especially when farmed for their fur.
Pollock
Pollock (pronounced ) is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic marine fish in the genus Pollachius. "Pollachius pollachius" is referred to as pollock in both North America and the United Kingdom, while "Pollachius virens" today is usually known as coley in the British Isles (derived from the older name coalfish). Other names for "P. pollachius" include the Atlantic pollock, European pollock, lieu jaune, and lythe; while "P. virens" is also known as Boston blue (distinct from bluefish), silver bill, or saithe.
European polecat
European polecat hunting was once a favourite sport of the Westmorland dalesmen and the Scots, who hunted them at night in midwinter. However, the majority of polecat deaths caused by humans have been accidental, having mostly been caused by steel traps set for rabbits. Hunting polecats by moonlight was also a popular diversion among midland schoolboys. Until the mid-19th century, polecats in Britain were hunted from early February to late April with mixed packs of hunting dogs on the Welsh hills and Lakeland fells, though otterhounds were used on the fells, the Border country and the Scottish Lowlands. John Tucker Edwardes, the creator of the Sealyham terrier, used captured wild male polecats to test the gameness of yearling terriers. In the former Soviet Union, polecats are hunted chiefly in late autumn and early winter with guns and hunting dogs, as well as foothold traps and wooden snares. However, even in season, hunters rarely catch more than 10-15 polecats. The species does not constitute an important element in former Soviet commercial hunting, and is usually only caught incidentally.
Europelta
"Europelta" was first described and named by James Ian Kirkland, Luis Alcalá, Mark A. Loewen, Eduardo Espílez, Luis Mampel and Jelle P. Wiersma in 2013 and the type species is "Europelta carbonensis". The generic name combines a contraction for Europe, as it is the most complete ankylosaur from the continent, and "πέλτα" ("pelta") Ancient Greek for "shield", a common suffix for ankylosaurian genus names in reference to their armored bodies. The specific name means "from the coal", from the Latin "carbo", in honor of the access provided by the Sociedad Anónima Minera Catalano-Aragonesa (SAMCA Group) to the fossil locality where "Europelta" was found, in the open-pit Santa María coal mine.
European shag
The European shag or common shag ("Phalacrocorax aristotelis") is a species of cormorant. It breeds around the rocky coasts of western and southern Europe, southwest Asia and north Africa, mainly wintering in its breeding range except for the northernmost birds. In Britain this seabird is usually referred to as simply the shag. The scientific genus name is Latinised Ancient Greek, from φαλακρός ("phalakros", "bald") and κόραξ ("korax", "raven"). The species name "aristotelis" commemorates the Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Steppe polecat
The steppe polecat ("Mustela eversmanii"), also known as the white or masked polecat, is a species of mustelid native to Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN because of its wide distribution, occurrence in a number of protected areas, and tolerance to some degree of habitat modification. 
It is generally of a very light yellowish colour, with dark limbs and a dark mask across the face. Compared to its relative, the European polecat, the steppe polecat is larger in size and has a more powerfully built skull.
Meerkat
"Meerkat" is a loanword from Afrikaans (). The name has a Dutch origin, but by misidentification. In Dutch, "meerkat" means the guenon, a monkey of the genus "Cercopithecus". The word "meerkat" is Dutch for "lake cat", but although the suricata is a feliform, it is not of the cat family; the word possibly started as a Dutch adaptation of a derivative of Sanskrit "markaṭa" = "ape", perhaps in Africa via an Indian sailor on board a Dutch East India Company ship.
Modern US endurance UAVs
This UAV was declassified in 2006 as the Lockheed Martin Polecat.
European bullhead
The European bullhead, as treated above, is widespread over most of the subcontinent and in England, but absent from the southern peninsulae and from Northern Scandinavia. It is not a single uniform taxon, however, but composed of morphologically and genetically differentiated subunits. Some of those have been distinguished already long time ago as separate subspecies or species with their own names, while in practice they have still mostly been treated under the concept of "Cottus gobio". In 2005, Freyhof et al. suggested subdivision of the European "Cottus gobio" into fourteen distinct species, of which six had been described earlier and eight were newly described and named. For instance, in this classification the British bullhead are "Cottus perifretum". In common usage and by e.g. conservation authorities, they are still mostly treated as "Cottus gobio".
Centaur
A centaur-like half-human half-equine creature called "Polkan" appeared in Russian folk art, and lubok prints of the 17th–19th centuries. Polkan is originally based on "Pulicane", a half-dog from Andrea da Barberino's poem "I Reali di Francia", which was once popular in the Slavonic world in prosaic translations.
European polecat
The European polecat is the sole ancestor of the ferret, which was domesticated more than 2000 years ago for the purpose of hunting vermin. The species has otherwise been historically viewed negatively by humans. In the British Isles especially, the polecat was persecuted by gamekeepers, and became synonymous with promiscuity in early English literature. During modern times, the polecat is still scantly represented in popular culture when compared to other rare British mammals, and misunderstandings of its behaviour still persist in some rural areas. , it is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers.
Cat sìth
The Cat Sìth may have been inspired by the Scottish wildcat itself. It is possible that the legends of the "Cat Sìth" were inspired by Kellas cats, which are a distinctive hybrid between Scottish wildcats and domestic cats only found in Scotland (the Scottish wildcat is a subspecies of the European wildcat, which is absent from elsewhere in the British Isles).
European rabbit
Though originally assigned to the genus "Lepus", the European rabbit was consigned to its own genus in 1874, on account of its altricial young, burrowing habits, and numerous skeletal characters. The European rabbit is superficially similar to the North American cottontails, as both "Oryctolagus" and "Sylvilagus" are born blind and naked, have white flesh, and little sexual dimorphism. However, the two differ in skull characteristics, and cottontails do not habitually construct their own burrows as the European rabbit does. Molecular studies confirm that the resemblance between the two is due to convergent evolution, and that the European rabbit's closest relatives are the hispid hare, the riverine rabbit and the Amami rabbit. The oldest known fossils attributed to the modern European rabbit species are around 0.5 Ma old (Middle Pleistocene).
Marbled polecat
When alarmed, a marbled polecat will raise up on its legs while arching its back and curling its tail over the back, with the long tail hair erect. It may also raise its head, bare its teeth, and give shrill, short hisses. If threatened, it can expel a foul-smelling secretion from enlarged anal glands under the tail.
Ferret
In common with most domestic animals, the original reason for ferrets being domesticated by human beings is uncertain, but it may have involved hunting. According to phylogenetic studies, the ferret was domesticated from the European polecat ("Mustela putorius"), and likely descends from a North African lineage of the species. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA suggests that ferrets were domesticated around 2,500 years ago. It has been claimed that the ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate ferrets, but as no mummified remains of a ferret have yet been found, nor any hieroglyph of a ferret, and no polecat now occurs wild in the area, that idea seems unlikely.
Steppe polecat
The species is very close to the European polecat in general appearance, proportions and habits, though its body seems somewhat more elongated, due to its shorter guard hairs. The tail is short, constituting a third of its body length. The skull is heavier and more massive than that of the European polecat, having more widely spaced zygomatic arches and more strongly developed projections, particularly the sagittal crest. It greatly resembles the black-footed ferret of North America, with the only noticeable differences between them being the steppe polecat's much longer and softer fur, shorter ears, and shorter postmolar extension of the palate. It has four pairs of teats and well-developed anal glands, which can produce a sharp-smelling liquid which is sprayed in self-defence. Males measure 320–562 mm in body length, while females measure 290–520 mm. Tail length of males is 80–183 mm and 290–520 mm for females. Males in Siberia may weigh up to 2,050 grams, while females weigh 1,350 grams. One giant polecat from Semirechye had a body length of about 775 mm. Overall, specimens exhibiting gigantism are more common than in the European polecat, and occur primarily in western Siberia, where they likely hybridise with Siberian weasels.
Polecat–mink hybrid
Polecat–mink hybrids have a poorly defined facial mask, have yellow fur on the ears, grey-yellow underfur and long, dark-brown guard hairs. They are fairly large, with males attaining the peak sizes known for European polecats (weighing 1.12-1.75 kg and measuring 41–47 cm in length) and females being much larger than female European minks (weighing around 0.75 kg and measuring 37 cm in length). The majority of polecat–mink hybrids have skulls bearing greater similarities to those of polecats than to minks. Hybrids can swim well like minks and burrow for food like polecats. They are very difficult to tame and breed, as males are sterile, though females are fertile. The first captive-bred polecat–mink hybrid was produced in 1978 by Soviet zoologist Dmitry Ternovsky of Novosibirsk. Originally bred for their fur (which was more valuable than that of either parent species), the breeding of these hybrids declined as European mink populations decreased. Studies on the behavioural ecology of free ranging polecat–mink hybrids in the upper reaches of the Lovat River indicate that hybrids will stray from aquatic habitats more readily than pure minks, and will tolerate both parent species entering their territories, though the hybrid's larger size (especially the males') may deter intrusion. During the summer period, the diet of wild polecat–mink hybrids is more similar to that of the mink than to the polecat, as they feed predominantly on frogs. During the winter, their diet overlaps more with that of the polecat, and they eat a larger proportion of rodents than in the summer, although they still rely heavily on frogs and rarely scavenge off ungulate carcasses as the polecat does.
Polistes dominula
The European paper wasp was originally described in 1791 by Johann Ludwig Christ as "Vespa dominula". The specific epithet "" is a noun meaning "little mistress", and following the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, species epithets which are nouns do not change when a species is placed in a different genus. Authors who were unaware that "dominula" was a noun have misspelled the species name as "dominulus" for decades. Another cause of the confusion in the species' name was the ambiguous distinction between masculine and feminine genitive nouns. "P. dominula" is often referred to as the European paper wasp because of its native distribution and its nests, which are constructed from paper and saliva. It is also frequently referred to in older literature as "Polistes gallicus", a separate species with which it was often confused.
European polecat
Endoparasites carried by polecats include the cestodes "Taenia tenuicollis" and "T. martis" and the nematodes "Molineus patens", "Strongyloides papillosus", "Capilliaria putorii", "Filaroides martis" and "Skjrabingylus nasicola".
European wildcat
The European wildcat has the reputation for being effectively impossible to raise as a pet. Naturalist Frances Pitt wrote "there was a time when I did not believe this ... my optimism was daunted" by trying to keep a wildcat she named Beelzebina.
European wildcat
"Felis (catus) silvestris" was the scientific name proposed in 1778 by Johann von Schreber when he described a wild cat based on texts from the early 18th century and before.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, several wildcat type specimens were described and proposed as subspecies, including:
Marbled polecat
Other names for the marbled polecat include "aladzhauzen" (Turkmen), "berguznya" (Kuban), "chokha" (Kalmuck), "fessyah" ("stinky" in Arabic), "abulfiss" (Arabic), (Chinese , ‘tiger musteline’), "myshovka" (Terek Cossacks dialect), "pereguznya", "pereguzka", or "perevishchik" (Ukrainian), "perevyazka" (Russian), "perewiaske" (Polish), "khaytakis" (Armenian), "alaca sansar", "alaca kokarca", "benekli kokarca" (Turkish), "suur-tyshkan" (Kyrgyz), or (French); (German, ‘tiger polecat’), mottled polecat (English), "sarmatier"; Syrian marbled polecat, and tiger polecat. In some contexts it is called the tiger weasel.
Saharan striped polecat
The Saharan striped polecat is nocturnal and solitary. It hides during the day in other animals' burrows or digs its own. It generally gives birth to one to three young in spring.
Pollachius pollachius
Pollachius pollachius (Atlantic or European pollock) is a species of marine fish in the "Pollachius" genus. FAO uses the English name pollack for this species. Together with "Pollachius virens", it may also be referred to as pollock. Other names include European pollock, "lieu jaune", and lythe. It is common in the north-eastern parts of the Northern Atlantic, including the Bay of Biscay and North Sea. Adults can grow up to and weigh up to , although more commonly their maximum length is .
European polecat
The European polecat is a seasonal breeder, with no courtship rituals. During the mating season, the male grabs the female by the neck and drags her about to stimulate ovulation, then copulates for up to an hour. The species is polygamous, with each male polecat mating with several females. Unlike with other small mustelids, ovulation is not induced, and pregnancy occurs immediately after mating. The gestation period lasts 40–43 days, with litters usually being born in May-early June. Each litter typically consists of five to 10 kits. At birth, the kits weigh 9-10 g and measure 55–70 mm in body length; they are blind and deaf. At the age of one week, the kits are covered in silky, white fur, which is replaced with a cinnamon brown-greyish woolly coat at the age of 3–4 wk. Weaning begins at three weeks of age, while the permanent dentition erupts after 7–8 wk. The kits become independent after two to three months. Females are very protective of their young, and have even been known to confront humans approaching too closely to their litters.
Polecat–mink hybrid
A polecat–mink hybrid, also known as "khor'-tumak" by furriers and "khonorik" by fanciers, is a hybrid between a European polecat ("Mustela putorius") and a European mink ("M. lutreola"). Such hybridisation is very rare in the wild, and typically only occurs where European mink are declining. The two species likely began hybridising during the early 20th century, when Northern Europe underwent a warm climatic period which coincided with an expansion of the range of the polecat into the mink's habitat.
European mole
The European mole (Talpa europaea) is a mammal of the order Eulipotyphla. It is also known as the common mole and the northern mole.
European polecat
Ectoparasites known to infest polecats include flea species such as "Ctenocephalides felis", "Archaeospylla erinacei", "Nosopsyllus fasciatus" and "Paraceras melis". The tick "Ixodes hexagonus" is the polecat's most common ectoparasite, which is sometimes found in large numbers on the neck and behind the ears. Another, less common species to infest polecats is "I. canisuga". The biting louse "Trichodectes jacobi" is also known to infest polecats.