Mustela putorius
The Euroean polecat is a relatively small mustelid and the second member of the genus Mustela in Greece (the other is Mustela putorius). The main fur colors are black, brown and grey. In the face there are some white spots, but their range varies. The body length is 35-46 cm in males and 29-39 cm in females. The tail length is 11.5-16.7 cm in males and 8.4-15 cm in females. These measures show that the males are slightly larger than the females.
The European polecat is polygamous and a seasonal breeder. The gestation lasts about 40 days and the juveniles are born usually in May-June. They are independent in 2-3 months.
The diet of Mustela putorius consists mainly or rodents, amphibians and birds, but it also includes hedgehogs, snakes, insects, hares and sometimes carrion of large ungulates.
According to IUCN, the European polecat is considered as Least Concern (2016).
There are two species of mustelids that can be mistaken as the European polecat. The first is the least weasel (Mustela nivalis), but this species is obviously smaller, more lightly built and its fur is colored in lighter colors. The second species is the marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna). This species can be differentiated by its yellowish back, which is filled with black spot
There are 7 subspecies. In Greece we can find the type subspecies Mustela putorius putorius.
The European polecat can be found all across Europe. It also occurs in Turkey and possibly in Algeria and Morocco.