Taira live in Central and South America. Their range stretches from southern Mexico to Paraguay and northern Argentina. The main habitat is primarily tropical forests.

Tayras reach a length of 56 to 68 cm, to which are added from 38 to 47 cm of tail length. The weight of these animals is from 4 to 5 kg.

They are active mainly at night and are found both on the ground and in trees. They are good climbers and can cover considerable distances by jumping. In addition, they are good swimmers. For peace, they build their own shelters in hollow trees or use the abandoned buildings of other animals. Sometimes they just hide in the tall grass.

There are various reports on the social behavior of the tayr. They are found both singly and in pairs or in small tribal groups. Taira are omnivorous, but the bulk of their food is made up of small mammals. They prey on rodents such as prickly chinchillas, hares or small mazems. Their prey also includes birds, invertebrates, and they like to eat fruits.

At the end of pregnancy, which lasts up to 70 days, the female gives birth to two cubs. In the second month of life, they open their eyes and wean from milk at the age of three months. In captivity, these animals live up to 18 years.

big grison

Greater Grison

(Galictis vittata)

Distributed in Central and South America (Bolivia, northern Argentina, southern Brazil).

It reaches a length of 48 to 55 cm and a weight of 1.4 to 3.3 kg.

They live in virgin and secondary tropical forests, both lowland and mountainous; in deciduous forests, palm savannas, plantations and partially flooded rice fields. They are often found near rivers, streams and wetlands, at altitudes up to 1,500 m above sea level.

The diet of grisons is not well understood - it is known that they eat small vertebrates, mainly mammals and birds, in rural areas they sometimes attack local chickens. By analyzing the contents of the stomachs of grisons from different parts of the range, they were able to determine their approximate diet: daytime rodents (cotton hamsters), prickly rats, ameivas, eared turtledoves, North American opossums, mocha (mountain pigs), amphibians (and even toad-aga). In Panama, grisons eat agoutis, eels (fusion gills) and characins.

In search of food, animals walk several kilometers a day, and the distance between daily resting places is 2-3 km. Grisons move quickly along a zigzag path, deviating to the sides from the travel line by 1-2 meters. Moving even at maximum speed, they never gallop. Examining unfamiliar objects located far away, they move cautiously and slowly, practically pressing their stomach to the ground, as if pushing themselves forward with outstretched hind legs. Do not ignore any burrows encountered on the way, voids in the ground and in tree trunks. Agoutis sometimes linger in abandoned burrows for daytime rest.

Grisons are diurnal animals, but they are also active at night. At noon, the animals rest for several hours (up to 4-5). Prey is often taken to the shelter, where it is eaten. Grisons are distinguished by courage and bloodthirstiness. Settling near human dwellings, they often cause great damage to the number of domestic birds. They kill rodents and other prey with a quick bite to the back of the neck. Animals have a good sense of smell, but their eyesight is poor. They are excellent swimmers and dive well.

The secret is produced by glands located near the anus, it has a unique musky smell, although not as unpleasant as other mustelids. Alarmed grisons jump aside, ruffle their tail hairs, and then emit a musky secretion from their anal glands. With a musky jet, they can hit quite accurately at a well-defined target.

Grisons are social animals. They hunt only in pairs or family groups. Sometimes there were cases when several animals played together. Hunting areas cover an area of ​​up to 4.2 km 2 for lactating females, and the average population density is about 1-2.4 individuals / km 2. Grisons mark their territory with secretions from the musky glands, rubbing the base of the tail against various objects.

Reproduction occurs throughout the year. Before giving birth, the female arranges a den in a cave, hollow or under the roots of trees, sometimes the female uses abandoned armadillo burrows for these purposes. Pregnancy lasts 39-40 days. The female gives birth to 1 to 4 cubs (average 2) with their eyes closed. Newborn puppies weigh about 50 grams. The eyes open after 14 days, and by 3 weeks the cubs can eat meat. Puppies become completely independent when they reach 4 months of age. At this age, the anal glands in young grisons are already active.

Lesser grison

Lesser Grison

(Galictis cuja)

Inhabits the central and southern regions of South America (Southern Peru, Paraguay, and from Central Chile the range expands south to the Argentine province of Chubuta).

The length of the small grison is from 28 to 51 cm, and the weight is from 1.0 to 2.5 kg.

Prefers a wide range of habitats: dry areas of the Chaco, and areas with extensive vegetation with various water bodies. The most common habitat types are deciduous and evergreen forests, savannahs and mountainous areas (up to 4000 m above sea level).

The diet includes various small animals: rodents, birds (toadstools, terns, etc.) and their eggs, amphibians and reptiles, invertebrates, the fruits of some plants, sometimes chickens are dragged. In places of acclimatization of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), it becomes the main food for grisons.

Lesser grisons are active both during the day and at night. The shelters used are very varied: hollow trees, crevices, piles of boulders, burrows of other animals, or cavities at the roots of trees. It happens that four or five individuals occupy one hole. The paws of grisons, instead of digging or swimming, are adapted for running and climbing - the soles are bare and curved claws grow on the fingers.

For intraspecific communication, animals widely use both sound and tactile communication. Tactile communication plays an important role between members of a married couple, competitors, mothers and their offspring. Odors, thanks to well-developed anal glands, play an important role in the communication of grisons. The anal glands release a strong odor only when the animal is highly aroused.

Lesser grisons are more social animals than other mustelid species, they were often found in groups of 2 or more individuals. Moreover, such a group consisted, as a rule, of adult animals and females with young.

During the mating season, pairs are formed for a short time, and after mating, males can form a new pair with another female. In the female, after mating, the development of embryos begins. There is no delay in the development of the embryos. Pregnancy lasts 39-40 days. The female gives birth in a hole or den of 2-5 helpless, blind and naked cubs.

Wolverine

Wolverine

(gulo gulo)

Distributed in the taiga, in the forest-tundra and partly in the tundra of Eurasia and North America. In Western Europe, it has been preserved in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula and in Finland. In Russia, the border of its range passes through the Leningrad and Vologda regions and the Perm Territory; wolverine is widespread in Siberia. One of the US states, Michigan, is called the "Wolverine State".

Body weight 9-18 kg, length 70-86 cm, tail length 18-23 cm.

Wolverine is a strong, cautious and at the same time daring animal, leading a solitary lifestyle. Only occasionally, for example, near large carrion, can several individuals temporarily gather. The wolverine makes its lair under twisted roots, in rock crevices and other secluded places; goes out to feed at dusk. Unlike most mustelids, leading a sedentary lifestyle, the wolverine constantly roams in search of prey in its individual area, which occupies up to 1,500-2,000 km 2. Thanks to powerful paws, long claws and a tail that plays the role of a pendulum, the wolverine easily climbs trees. It has sharp eyesight, but relatively poor hearing and instinct. It makes sounds similar to fox yapping, but more rough.

Wolverine is omnivorous. The basis of its nutrition is the remains of the prey of wolves and bears. She also loves white hares, upland birds (black grouse, hazel grouse, etc.) and mouse-like rodents. Less likely to prey on large ungulates; its victims are usually young, injured or sick animals. It can recapture prey from other predators (wolves, lynxes). Often ruins the winter quarters of hunters and steals prey from traps. In summer it eats bird eggs, wasp larvae, berries and honey. Catches fish - near polynyas or during spawning; willingly picks up dead fish. Wolverine is useful as an orderly, destroying animals.

Wolverine is a slow animal. As a rule, she guards her prey in ambush, hiding near the path, climbing ravines, or climbs small trees and suddenly rushes at the approaching animal. Jumping on their backs, the wolverine is able to inflict mortal wounds (in particular, by biting through the carotid artery) to deer, cows and elks. It hunts birds, grabbing them on the ground when they sleep or sit on nests.

Mating most often occurs between April and July. Male and female stay together for only a few weeks. A fertilized egg, however, does not start dividing immediately. Normal embryonic development begins only after 7-8 months, and after about 30-40 days of effective pregnancy, most often in February or March, in sheltered places, the female gives birth to two to four cubs. After 4 weeks, they open their eyes and feed on their mother's milk for 10 weeks. The mother then gives them semi-digested food. After 3 months, the cubs become adults, but they stay with their mother for another 2 years.

North African weasel

Saharan Striped Polecat

(Ictonyx libica)

Distributed in North Africa: Southern Nigeria, Sudan, Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara.

Body length - 20-28.5 cm, tail 11-18 cm. Weight - 200-250 gr.

Inhabits anthropogenic landscapes on the border with the desert. For example, in Morocco, North African weasels are often found in steppe zones with rich low and dense vegetation, as well as in mountain valleys.

The diet includes birds, their eggs, small rodents and amphibians, reptiles (lizards), invertebrates and insects.

It is nocturnal and spends the day in burrows that it digs itself. The breeding season lasts from January to March.

Zorilla

Zorilla

(Ictonyx striatus)

Distributed in Africa south of the Sahara: from Senegal and Nigeria to South Africa.

Body length 28.5-38.5 cm, tail 20.5-30 cm. Weight of females - 596-880 g, males 681-1460 g.

The zorilla usually inhabits a wide variety of habitats, and lives predominantly in the savannah and open fields. Avoid dense evergreen forests.

This carnivore feeds mainly on mouse-like rodents, hares, large insects, sometimes bird eggs, snakes and other animals. In times of famine, it can also consume carrion.

It is nocturnal, only occasionally it can be seen at sunset or at dawn before it hides in its hole. During the day, the animal hides in independently dug holes, occasionally in rock crevices, in hollow trunks, between tree roots and even under houses. Sometimes it uses abandoned burrows previously dug by other animals. Animals are especially often found on natural pastures where wild ungulates and local livestock graze. These animals scare away a variety of insects hiding in the grass, which allows zorillas to catch and eat beetles, orthoptera and other insects and their larvae. Here, on pastures, where there is an abundance of manure, which is forage for numerous beetles, the highest density of zorilla is observed.

Being in an open area, the animals make frequent stops or shifts in the direction of movement, quickly running from place to place. These changes in direction of travel are almost instantaneous. It is likely that such maneuvers help to prevent an attack from any enemy, especially raptors, due to the impossibility of an aimed throw on their part.

When a dog or other enemy appears, the zorilla ruffles its hair, raises its tail, and then uses the odorous musky secret of its prianal glands. The zorilla, like the skunk, can "shoot" its odorous secret over considerable distances. Although the smell of their secretions is not as "scented" and pungent as that of the American striped skunk, it is nevertheless unpleasant and long-lasting. When attacked by a strong enemy, the Zorilla may pretend to be dead if there is nowhere to run.

Leads a solitary life. Marriage relations have not been studied. Males are always aggressive towards each other. Males and females tolerate each other only during the mating season. Mating can last 60-100 minutes. The female gives birth to one litter per season, but if all the babies die at a very young age, then the female can produce a second offspring before the very end of the mating season. Pregnancy lasts about 36-37 days. In the hole, the female gives birth to 1-4 cubs, more often 2-3. Weight of puppies at birth - 12-15 g. Predatory teeth in young people appear on the 33rd day, eyes open for 40 days. Lactation lasts up to 4-5 months, although young zorilla begin to hunt and can kill small rodents as early as nine weeks of age.

Patagonian weasel

Patagonian Weasel

(Lyncodon patagonicus)

Distributed on the plains of Pampa in its area with light soil.

Body length - 30-35 cm, 9 cm per tail. Average weight 225 g.

The Patagonian weasel is a carnivore that eats small rodents: tuco-tuco (Ctenomys) and mountain pigs (Microcavia).

Active at dusk and at night. The individual site of the male overlaps several areas of the females. The paraanal glands are poorly developed, during defense (being driven into a corner) they do not use them, but raise the hair on end on the neck. Leads a solitary lifestyle, creating pairs only during the breeding season.

Until now, almost nothing is known about the reproduction of Patagonian weasels. It is known that only the female takes care of the offspring.

African weasel

African Striped Weasel

(Poecilogale albinucha)

Distributed in South and Central Africa in the Sahara Desert.

25-36 cm fall on the head and body, 13-23 cm on the tail. The weight of males is 28.3-38 g, females - 23-29 g.

Inhabits various biotopes (fields, forests, swamps, savannas, deserts) up to 2200 m above sea level.

The diet of the African weasel includes small mammals (rodents - African polynipple rats, striped mice, pygmy mice), shrews, birds (sparrows, doves), reptiles (snakes), insects and their larvae. Per day, weasel eats up to 13% of body weight, and females, when feeding puppies, up to 25%. Small rodents and birds begin to eat from the head. The skin from the abdomen, head, paws and tail of large prey is not eaten.

It leads mainly a nocturnal and terrestrial lifestyle, climbs trees well. As shelters, it uses burrows that it digs itself or uses rodent burrows or termite mounds. It digs holes with its front paws, and with its hind legs it moves the soil back. For recreation, it sometimes uses hollow logs or crevices in stones and rocks. The weasel is active all year round and spends most of its time in the burrow, leaving it only to hunt. While hunting, it uses the sense of smell, and vision for spatial orientation.

Sniffing out rodents, it goes with its nose buried in the ground, while arching its back, and the tail is carried horizontally. Thanks to its long, flexible body and short legs, it can chase rodents right into their burrows. The weasel does not eat the prey on the spot, but carries it to its hole. Part of the prey is stored in a niche, which it equips right there in the hole. The rodent bites on the back of the head, and then rolls along with the prey around its axis and beats it with its front paws. Birds are killed by a bite to the head, without the use of paws. Females bite large prey by the throat.

The anal glands are well developed, the secret of which is used to protect against predators. With an unexpected fright, an African weasel can jump up sharply, while the hair on its tail becomes on end. When pursued by a predator, it often climbs trees or burrows, if there is nothing suitable, then the weasel emits a half-growl-half-scream, if this does not help, it shoots a caustic secret from the prianal glands (with an accuracy of 1 m).

The African weasel is mostly a solitary animal, but both pairs and small groups are found. Mating lasts 60-80 minutes, there can be three matings per day. The female gives birth to one litter per year. If the first litter dies for some reason, the female mates a second time. Males do not take part in rearing offspring. If the nest with cubs is disturbed, the female carries the pups, holding them by the scruff of the neck. Pregnancy: lasts 30-33 days. In a litter there are usually 2-3 naked blind puppies weighing 4 grams each. The eyes open at 7 weeks. Teeth erupt by 35 days. Lactation lasts up to 11 weeks (at this age, young people weigh 50 grams), at 13 weeks the puppies begin to try to hunt, and become completely independent at the age of 20 weeks.

American marten

american marten

(Martes americana)

Distributed in Canada and northern United States.

Males reach a length of 75 cm to 1 m, weight from 3250 to 6500 g. Females are smaller, from 50 cm to 68 cm and weigh from 1850 to 4000 g.

Inhabits dark coniferous forests: mature coniferous forests of pine, spruce and other trees. Stands with a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees, including white pine, yellow birch, maple, fir and spruce.

The diet of the American marten includes a variety of foods: red squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, mice, voles, partridges and their eggs, fish, frogs, insects, honey, mushrooms, seeds. If there is not enough food, marten can eat almost everything that is edible, including plant foods and carrion.

It is mainly a nocturnal mammal, but is also active at dusk (morning and evening), and often during the day. The marten is very agile - it jumps from branch to branch through the trees, marking the paths of movement with the smell of its glands. Hunt alone. It is well adapted to climbing trees, where it catches squirrels in nests at night. It kills its prey with a bite to the back of the head, breaking the cervical vertebrae and destroying the victim's spinal cord. In winter, martens tunnel through the snow in search of mouse-like rodents.

The anal and abdominal scent glands are well developed and are characteristic of all members of the weasel family.

Martens have a good appetite, they are very curious, which is why they sometimes make trouble for themselves, for example, they fall into traps and various traps.

Male American martens are territorial: they defend their territory. Animals bypass their territory every 8-10 days. Neither males nor females tolerate strangers of the same sex in their territory, and behave very aggressively towards them. The size of an individual plot is not stable and depends on a number of factors: the size of the animal, the abundance of food, the presence of fallen trees, etc. The marking of the animals showed that some of them live settled, while others are nomadic (mostly young animals).

Males and females meet each other only for two months - July and August, when the rut occurs, the rest of the time they lead a solitary lifestyle. The male and female find each other with the help of scent marks left by the anal glands. After mating, the fertilized eggs do not develop immediately, but are in the uterus at rest for another 6-7 months. Pregnancy after the latent period is 2 months. The male does not take any part in rearing the offspring. For childbirth, the female prepares a nest, which is lined with grass and other plant material. The nest is located in hollow trees, logs or other voids.

Pregnancy lasts an average of 267 days. The female gives birth to up to 7 puppies (average 3-4). Newborn puppies are blind and deaf, weighing 25-30 g. Ears open on day 26, and eyes after 39. Lactation lasts up to 2 months. At 3-4 months, puppies can already get their own food.

Kharza

Yellow-throated Marten

(Martes flavigula)

The main part of the range of the harza covers the Greater Sunda Islands, the Malay Peninsula, Indochina, the foothills of the Himalayas, China and the Korean Peninsula. A separate isolated habitat area is located in the south of the Hindustan peninsula. In Russia, it is found in the Amur region, in the Ussuri river basin and in the Sikhote-Alin.

Body length 55-80 cm, tail 35-44 cm; weighs up to 5.7 kg.

Kharza is a typical animal of coniferous and mixed forests. Prefers to settle on the slopes of mountains and river banks. In Burma, she settles in swamps, and in Pakistan - in deserted, treeless mountains. It stays mainly on the ground, although it climbs trees very well. Runs very fast, and jumping from tree to tree, makes jumps up to 4 m. Usually leads a nomadic lifestyle.

Kharza is one of the most powerful predators of the Ussuri taiga. It feeds on rodents (squirrels, mice, chipmunks), grasshoppers, molluscs, hares, birds (grouse, pheasants). It also attacks young ungulates - wild boar, red deer, elk, roe deer, spotted deer, goral. Often attacks raccoon dogs, columns and sables. Berries and pine nuts are consumed in small quantities; feast on honeycombs. But the most favorite prey of the kharza is the musk deer.

Unlike other martens, in winter the martens can hunt in groups of 3-5 individuals. Animals take turns chasing prey; or some drive it, while others wait in ambush. When hunting for musk deer, the kharza also uses the following technique: it drives the victim to a frozen river or lake, where the musk deer slides over the ice and can fall. When chasing prey, the kharzes make sounds resembling barking, which, apparently, coordinates their actions. By spring, the hunting group breaks up. Harzes begin to hunt alone, rummaging through squirrel hains at night, and during the day - through hollows where flying squirrels and other small inhabitants of the taiga sleep.

There are few natural enemies; many harzes live to a ripe old age. Once in captivity, especially when young, the kharza easily gets used to a person and becomes completely tame.

Harz rut at the end of summer (in August). Pregnancy lasts 120 days. There are 2-5 cubs in a litter. The cubs stay with their mother until spring, learning hunting skills from her. After leaving their mother, the young still hunt together for some time.

stone marten

Stone Martin

(Martes foina)

Inhabits most of Eurasia. Its distribution area stretches from the Iberian Peninsula to Mongolia and the Himalayas.

These animals reach a body length of 40 to 55 cm, and a tail length of 22 to 30 cm. The weight of the stone marten ranges from 1.1 to 2.3 kg.

Stone martens are active mainly at night, and during the day they hide in their shelters. Rock crevices, piles of stones and abandoned structures of other animals serve as natural shelters for them (stone martens themselves do not build or dig them). Near settlements, stone martens often use attics or stables for this. Nests are lined with hair, feathers, or plant material. At night, stone martens go in search of prey, while moving mainly on the ground. Although the stone marten is good at climbing trees, it rarely does so.

Like most martens, stone martens lead a solitary lifestyle and avoid contact with their relatives outside the mating season. Each individual has an area, which it marks with a special secret and protects it from other stone martens of its sex. The area of ​​such a range may fluctuate, but as a rule it is smaller than that of the pine marten. It can range from 12 to 210 hectares and depends, among other things, on sex (males have larger ranges than females), on the season (in winter, the ranges are smaller than in summer) and on the presence of prey in it.

Stone martens are omnivorous animals that eat primarily meat. They prey on small mammals (for example, rodents or rabbits), birds and their eggs, frogs, insects and others. In summer, an important part of their diet is plant foods, which include berries and fruits. Sometimes stone martens enter chicken coops or pigeon houses. The panicked throwing of birds causes a predatory reflex in them, forcing them to kill all possible prey, even if its quantity far exceeds what they are able to eat.

Mating takes place in the summer months from June to August, but due to the conservation of the seed in the body of the female, offspring are born only in the spring (from March to April). Thus, eight months pass between mating and childbirth, while the actual pregnancy lasts only one month. At one time, as a rule, three or four cubs are born, which at the beginning are blind and naked. After a month, they open their eyes for the first time, a month later they wean themselves from milk nutrition, and in the fall they become independent. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of 15 to 27 months. The average lifespan in the wild is three years, with the most successful individuals living up to ten years. In captivity, stone martens become much older and live up to 18 years.

pine marten

European Pine Martin

(Martes martes)

Distributed almost throughout Europe. Their range extends from the British Isles to Western Siberia and south from the Mediterranean to the Caucasus and Elburz. They are absent from Iceland and northern Scandinavia and parts of the Iberian Peninsula. The habitat of these animals are forests, primarily deciduous and mixed. In mountainous areas it occurs up to heights where trees still grow.

Body length is 45 to 58 cm, tail length is 16 to 28 cm, and weight is 0.8 to 1.8 kg.

Wood martens are much more tree dwellers than other types of martens. They can climb and jump well, while overcoming a distance of up to 4 meters. When climbing, they are able to twist their feet 180°. Buildings are created in their area, mainly in hollows, or they use abandoned squirrel structures, as well as nests of birds of prey. They retire to these structures to rest during the daytime, and at dusk and at night they go in search of prey.

Wood martens are animals with a pronounced territorial behavior, marking their range with the help of a secret secreted by the anal gland. They defend the boundaries of their range from equal-sex relatives, but the ranges of males and females often intersect. The size of such ranges varies greatly, although the ranges of males are always larger than those of females. Differences are also observed in connection with the seasons - in winter, the ranges of individual individuals are up to 50% smaller than in summer.

Wood martens are omnivorous, but prefer small mammals (eg voles and squirrels) as well as birds and their eggs. Do not disdain and reptiles, frogs, snails, insects and carrion. In autumn, fruits, berries and nuts can be part of their food. The pine marten kills its prey with a bite to the back of the head. In late summer and autumn, she accumulates and stores food for the cold season.

Mating in pine martens takes place in the middle of summer, but pregnancy, due to the preservation of the seed in the body of the female, begins much later and offspring are born only in April. Their development is similar to the development of stone marten cubs. At birth, their length is 10 cm. In the litter, most often there are three cubs. During the first eight weeks they remain in the parent nest, and after that they begin to climb around it and explore the area. After sixteen weeks, they finally become independent, but sometimes they still accompany their mother until the next spring. In the second year of life, pine martens reach puberty, although they usually mate for the first time in the third year of life. Life expectancy in captivity is up to sixteen years, but in the wild, only a few pine martens become more than ten years old.

Nilgiri marten

Nilgiri Martin

(Martes gwatkinsii)

The only species of marten found in South India. Lives in the uplands of the Nilgiria and the Western Ghats.

This is a rather large marten, from 55 to 70 cm long. The length of the tail is from 40 to 45 cm, and the weight is from 2 to 2.5 kg.

The Nilgiri marten is a carnivorous predator that preys on small birds, rodents (Indian squirrels, white-footed mice), insects (cicadas), reptiles (lizards, Bengal monitor lizards) and small mammals (Asian deer).

Presumably leads a daytime lifestyle, tk. all discovered animals were seen from 10 to 14:30 in the afternoon. He spends most of his time in trees, but hunts on the ground. Nests are arranged in crowns and hollows of tall trees (up to 16 m), near water (60-90 cm). Avoids human presence.

Japanese marten

Japanese Marten

(Martes melampus)

Japanese martens originally lived on the three main southern Japanese islands (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu), on Tsushima, and also in Korea. To obtain fur, they were also brought to the islands of Hokkaido and Sado. Its natural range is mainly forests, but sometimes they are found in more open areas.

The body length of these animals reaches 47 to 54 cm, and the tail length is from 17 to 23 cm. Males are much heavier than females and weigh an average of 1.6 kg, while females only about 1.0 kg.

Little is known about the lifestyle of Japanese martens. They build nests in earthen burrows as well as in trees. There they hide during the day to go out in search of food at night. These are territorial animals that mark their territory with the secret of odorous glands. Excluding the mating period, they live alone. Like most martens, they are omnivores, feeding on small mammals and other vertebrates such as birds and frogs, as well as crustaceans, insects, berries, and seeds.

Mating begins in March-May, in July-August the female brings from 1 to 5 cubs. After 4 months they become independent.

Sable

Sable

(Martes zibellina)

At present, sable is found throughout the taiga part of Russia from the Urals to the Pacific coast to the north to the limits of forest vegetation. Prefers dark coniferous cluttered taiga, especially loves cedar. It is also found in Japan, on the island of Hokkaido.

The body length of a sable is up to 56 cm, the tail is up to 20 cm. The weight of males is 1100-1800 g, females - 900-1500 g.

A characteristic inhabitant of the Siberian taiga. Agile and very strong predator for its size. Leads a terrestrial lifestyle. Moves by jumping. Traces - paired large prints ranging in size from 5x7 to 6x10 cm. The length of the jump is 30-70 cm. It climbs trees well, but does not “ride” it. It has well-developed hearing and sense of smell, eyesight is weaker. The voice is a purr, like a cat's. Easily walks on loose snow. It is most active in the morning and evening. As a rule, it lives in cedar forests, in the upper reaches of mountain rivers, close to the ground - in thickets of elfin, among stone placers, occasionally rises to the crowns of trees.

The diet is dominated by mouse-like rodents, mainly the red-backed vole (red-gray in the south). East of the Yenisei and in the Sayans, the pika plays an important role in nutrition. Often eats squirrels, attacks hares. Exterminating several million squirrels in the region per year, the sable steadily restrains the growth of its numbers. Of the birds, sable most often attacks hazel grouse and capercaillie, but in general, birds are a secondary food. Willingly feeds on plant foods. Favorite food - pine nuts, mountain ash, blueberries. It eats berries of cranberries, blueberries, bird cherry, wild rose, currants.

Sable is active at twilight, at night, but often hunts during the day. An individual sable hunting area is from 150-200 ha to 1500-2000 ha, sometimes more.

Nesting shelters in hollows of fallen and standing trees, in stone placers, under roots. Whelping in the north in the first half of May, in the south in April. Animals reach puberty at the age of two or three years and breed up to 13-15 years. Mating in June - July, pregnancy 250-290 days. There are from one to seven puppies in a litter, usually 3-4. The molt ends in mid-October.

Ilka

Fisher

(Martes pennanti)

It lives in the forests of North America, from the Sierra Nevada mountains in California to the Appalachians in West Virginia, preferring to keep coniferous forests with an abundance of hollow trees. Typical trees on which ilka settles include spruce, fir, cedar and some deciduous trees. In winter, they often settle in burrows, sometimes digging them in the snow. Ilks nimbly climb trees, but usually move on the ground. Active around the clock. They lead a solitary life.

Ilka is one of the largest martens: the length of her body with a tail is up to 75-120 cm; weight 2-5 kg.

Favorite prey are tree porcupines, as well as mice, squirrels, white hares, birds and shrews. They eat berries and fruits, such as apples. Contrary to the name, the ilka rarely feeds on fish. Angler is a tracing word for the English fisher, which is thought to be derived from the French fichet, ferret. Ilka and American sable (Martes americana) are the only small predators that can easily pursue prey both in trees and in burrows.

The mating season is late winter - early spring. Pregnancy lasts 11-12 months, 10 of which the embryo does not develop. There are up to 5 blind and almost naked cubs in the litter. They become independent on the 5th month. Shortly after giving birth, the females mate and become pregnant again. Life expectancy - up to 10 years.

dressing

Marbled Polecat

(Vormela peregusna)

Dressings are common in Eastern Europe and Asia. Their range stretches from the Balkan Peninsula and Western Asia (with the exception of the Arabian Peninsula) through the south of Russia and Central Asia to the north-west of China and Mongolia. Bandages inhabit dry areas where there are no trees, such as steppes, semi-deserts and deserts. Sometimes they are also found on foothill plateaus overgrown with grasses. Occasionally, these animals were observed in the mountains, where their distribution has been proven up to a height of 3000 m. Nowadays, many dressings live in parks, vineyards, and even among human settlements.

The body length is from 29 to 38 cm with a tail from 15 to 22 cm. The weight of adult bandages is from 370 to 730 g.

The lifestyle of bandages is similar to that of the steppe ferret. They are active mainly at dusk or at night, occasionally hunting during the daytime. As a rule, they spend the day in their mink, which they dug either themselves or adopted from other animals. Outside the mating season, ligation live alone. Their ranges may overlap, but there are almost no fights between these animals, as they try to avoid each other. In case of danger, the bandage raises the hairs of its coat on end and directs its fluffy tail forward, the warning coloring of which, like that of skunks, should scare away the enemy. If this does not help, the bandage from his anal gland can spray an extremely foul-smelling secret into the air.

Bandages hunt both on the ground, where they sometimes stand on their hind legs to have a better view of the terrain, and on trees that they can climb. Most often, however, she hunts in the underground passages of various rodents, in which she sometimes even settles. Its food includes mainly gerbils, voles, ground squirrels, hamsters, as well as birds, various small vertebrates and insects.

The duration of pregnancy in dressings is up to eleven months, which is due to the fact that the fertilized egg first “rests” and does not immediately begin to develop. At one time, the female gives birth to from one to eight (on average four or five) cubs. They are very small and blind, but they grow rapidly and after a month they wean themselves from milk. Females reach sexual maturity at the age of three months, in males it appears at the age of one year. Little is known about the lifespan of bandages, but in captivity they live for almost nine years.

European mink

European Mink

(Mustela lutreola)

Distributed in Europe (Russia, East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Switzerland, Southwestern France, Karelia, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Caucasus).

Body length 28-40 cm, tail - 12-20 cm. Body weight is 550-800 g.

Settles along the banks of streams, rivers and lakes. Rarely departs from the shores of the reservoir more than 200 m. Favorite habitats are overgrown shrubs and forests, washed-out banks of rivers and streams, oxbow lakes and small lakes. Avoids open reaches with sandy shores. In the steppes, it settles in floodplains and among thickets of reeds on large rivers.

The basis of the diet is small fish (minnows, chars, sculpins, small burbots), which are deftly pursued under water. It also preys on water rats, mouse-like rodents, mollusks, crayfish, snakes, frogs and birds.

The European mink is active all year round. Shelter suits under the overhanging washed-out river banks, in roots or in heaps of windbreak. Sometimes she digs holes herself or expands the abandoned holes of muskrats or water rats (usually the entrance to the hole is located under water). Hunts at night, but sometimes occurs during daylight hours. Spends most of the time on the shore, wandering between the roots and under the overhanging shore. When pursued, it can swim under water up to 10-20 m, then swims to the surface for air and quickly dives again.

An adult animal needs up to 180 g of food per day. If food is plentiful, then the mink can stockpile.

In the warm months, lives on a permanent plot, which occupies 15-20 hectares. In winter, it often moves in search of food along the banks of rivers. The male's area partially overlaps the areas of several females. The male is not involved in rearing the young.

During the breeding season, males first look for females whose sites are nearby, and later move to longer distances. Often several males chase one female. The most aggressive and strong males get the right to mate.

Pregnancy lasts 42-46 days. The female gives birth to 4-7 blind and naked puppies. Lactation lasts up to 10 weeks. At this time, young people begin to go hunting with their mother. At 12 weeks of age, young minks become completely independent. Together, the family group stays until autumn, and later the puppies disperse in search of their sites.

american mink

american mink

(Mustela vison)

Distributed throughout most of North America.

Body length - up to 50 cm, weight - up to 2 kg, tail length - up to 25 cm.

Inhabits areas with open water (lakes, rivers, shallow streams and swamps). Often settles near human habitation. It prefers rivers, on which a lot of polynyas form in winter.

The American mink is a nocturnal animal. Its hunting grounds lie along the coastline. In summer, the animals do not move further than 50-80 m from the burrow. During the breeding season, males become more mobile and can travel distances up to 30 km. Shelters suits near water. Uses muskrat burrows (burrow with several chambers and winding passages, up to 3 m long). The nest chamber is lined with dry grass, leaves or moss. The American mink arranges a latrine right in the hole, in one of the burrows, or not far from the entrance to the hole. In winter, in severe frosts, it closes the entrance to the hole from the inside. The American mink is an excellent swimmer using all four legs. It climbs well and moves quickly on the ground. Hunts on land and in water (depending on the season and habitat).

Vision is weak, so when hunting, the beast relies only on its sense of smell. The prey size of males is larger than that of females. If the prey is too large, then the mink carries its remains to the den to eat them later.

It does not hibernate, but in winter (in extreme cold) it can sleep in the den for several days in a row. When threatened, it uses a stinking secretion from its anal glands.

It feeds on small vertebrates (frogs, lobsters, snakes, birds, rabbits, mice, muskrats, and other rodents), fish, aquatic invertebrates, and insects.

The American mink is a solitary and territorial animal. Territorial areas of males are larger than those of females. All individuals mark their territory with droppings, which are mixed with the smell of a secret from the anal glands. Minks also rub against sticks and rocks with their throats, where the throat glands are located.

This is a polygamous animal: during the breeding season, the male can mate with several females. The female may also mate with multiple males. For childbirth, the female American mink chooses a hole up to 3 m deep. Usually the den is located no further than 200 m from the water.

The breeding season lasts from February to March. Pregnancy - about 50 days. The female gives birth to 1-10 (average 4) blind and practically naked puppies. The weight of newborns is about 6 grams. By 5-6 weeks, the puppies are overgrown with red-brown fur. The eyes open by day 37, and lactation lasts up to 8-9 weeks. At this age, young minks weigh about 350 grams. By the end of summer, young people become completely independent and leave their mother.

Kolonok

Siberian Weasel

(Mustela sibirica)

Kolonok is mostly inhabitant of Asia. It is distributed along the slopes of the Himalayas, in a significant part of China, in Japan, on the Korean Peninsula, in the south of the Far East, in Southern and Central Siberia up to the Urals. On such a vast expanse of columns, of course, it lives in a variety of conditions, but everywhere it prefers forests - dark coniferous or, conversely, deciduous, abounding in small rodents, but mainly near rivers and lakes. Often, the column is found in settlements, where it catches rats and mice, and at the same time attacks domestic birds.

The length from the end of the snout to the base of the tail is 28-30 cm, the length of the tail is 16.5 cm.

The feeding column resembles the feeding of ferrets. It feeds on rodents (zokors, muskrats, chipmunks, squirrels, jerboas), pikas, as well as birds, their eggs, frogs, insects, carrion, and occasionally catches hares. With a lack of rodents, the columnar begins to fish.

The Siberian weasel hunts at night or at dusk, and during the day it hides in a shelter (under the roots of fallen trees, in windbreak or stones). Bold, curious and agile - easily penetrates into narrow holes and crevices where small animals live. It climbs trees and rocks well, swims well. In winter, most of the time spent under the snow. Active throughout the year, in severe frosts lies in burrows. There are no individual plots, it wanders through the taiga in search of prey. Up to 8 km can be covered overnight. Moves in big leaps.

The estrus begins in February - March. The male pursues only one female. For childbirth, the female arranges a nest (in the burrows of chipmunks, under the roots of trees and deadwood, in stones and crevices of rocks), where she drags wool, feathers, leaves and dry grass. Puppies are born in April - June. The male does not take any part in rearing the young. In the event of an attack, the female fiercely and boldly defends her offspring.

Pregnancy lasts 28-42 days. The female gives birth to 4-10 puppies. Cubs are born blind and naked. The eyes open after a month. Lactation lasts up to 56 days, and then the mother begins to feed the cubs with small animals.

long-tailed weasel

Long-tailed Weasel

(Mustela frenata)

Distributed from the Canadian-American border through Central America to the northern regions of South America.

The body length of males is up to 40 cm, females up to 35 cm, the tail in males is up to 15.2 cm, in females up to 12.7 cm. The body weight of males is up to 450 g, females - up to 255 g.

The long-tailed weasel is found in almost all land areas near water. Prefers to stick to thickets of thorny bushes and thickets of honeysuckle, woodlands, woods and grassy thickets along fences.

The long-tailed weasel is nocturnal, but in the habitats of voles (leading a diurnal lifestyle) it goes hunting during the day. During the night, the beast travels up to 5 km. The size of an individual plot depends on the amount of prey (the minimum plot is 0.7-1 ha, and if there is a shortage of food, the plot increases to 20-160 ha).

Weasel is a fearless and curious animal. During defense against enemies or during mating, it emits a foul-smelling secret from the anal glands. Small prey is killed with a few quick bites to the back of the neck. When attacking large prey, the animal grabs and holds onto it with its front and hind legs. During the fight, the weasel tries to move to the back for a series of bites at the base of the skull to immobilize and kill the victim. Prey found in burrows is attacked head-on and killed with a bite to the windpipe. Eats the victim, starting from the head. With an excess of prey, it makes reserves, but it rarely returns to them.

From the smell of blood it becomes especially aggressive and bloodthirsty. Weasels are very mobile and have a very high metabolic rate. On the ground it runs hopping with arching of the back in the form of an arch, and at this time the tail is kept straight (horizontally above the ground). The long-tailed weasel swims well, deftly climbs trees (sometimes climbing to a height of up to 6 m and above).

Eats only animal food (mice, rats, voles, squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, moles and rabbits), as well as eggs, chicks and adult birds, snakes, frogs and insects. Living near a person, drags chickens.

Leads a solitary and territorial way of life. Pairs form only during the breeding season. At this time, males mark their territory by riding on the back of the body. The female gives birth to one litter per year. In the south of the range, there can be 2 or 3 litters. For childbirth, the female arranges a den, which is located in piles of stones, a pile of brushwood, burrows of mice, ground squirrels, chipmunks and voles. The depth of such a hole is 15-43 cm. The nest is lined with the fur of eaten animals or dry grass.

Pregnancy with delayed embryo development can range from 205 to 337 days. The period of true pregnancy is 27-35 days. The female gives birth to 1-9 blind helpless puppies. The weight of newborns is about 3 g. The cubs have wrinkled skin, covered with thin white fur. The eyes open at the age of 35 days, and lactation stops at the same time. At 6-7 weeks of age, puppies begin to hunt with their mother. At 11-12 weeks they leave the den and begin to lead an independent life.

Solongoy

Mountain Weasel

(Mustela altaica)

It occurs from the central regions of Russia and across the country to the northern borders, southeast to Korea, west to North India.

The length of males ranges from 21 to 28 cm with a 10-15 cm tail. Their weight is from 250 to 370 g. The females are slightly smaller, from 21 to 26 cm in length, with a 9-12.5 cm tail. The weight of females is from 120 to 245 g.

Lives on mountain heights from over 1000 meters above sea level, as well as in rocky tundra with young forests. Settles in cracks between rocky stones in tree trunks or in abandoned burrows. The mountain weasel is not afraid to live near human settlements.

Its diet includes small and medium rodents (muskrat, ground squirrels, rabbits, big-eared pika, gray hamsters, field mice, etc.), insectivorous animals, birds. It can eat frogs, lizards, snakes, insects and mollusks. Settling in human dwellings, steals meat products and fish, ruins chicken coops.

Solongoy is a very agile animal, lives on the ground, roams in the windbreak, under the roots and in the talus of rocks. In the same places, it arranges nests and breeds offspring. Active both at night and during the day. Runs fast and climbs trees, can swim. For communication, especially between males, the secret of the anal glands is used. When threatened, the animal makes a loud chirping sound and emits a pungent odor from its anal glands. The daily food requirement is 45-54 g (3-4 small rodents) for an adult male, however, it usually kills much more prey than it needs.

Leads a solitary and territorial way of life.

During the mating season, males compete for females. Sometimes there are quite violent fights between them. After mating, the male leaves the female. Puppies are born in a nest lined with grass and the fur of eaten rodents.

Pregnancy lasts 30-49 days. The female gives birth to 1-8 blind and naked cubs. Lactation lasts up to two months. From this moment on, young solongoi become independent, but remain with their mother for some time.

Ermine

Stoat

(Mustela erminea)

Ermine is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere - in the arctic, subarctic and temperate zones of Eurasia and North America. In Europe, it is found from Scandinavia to the Pyrenees and the Alps, with the exception of Albania, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. In Asia, its range reaches the deserts of Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Northeast China and northern Japan. In North America, it is found in Canada, on the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, in Greenland and in the north of the USA (except for the Great Plains).

The body length of the male is 17-38 cm (females are about half as long), the tail length is about 35% of the body length - 6-12 cm; body weight - from 70 to 260 g.

Ermine is most numerous in forest-steppe, taiga and tundra regions. The choice of their habitat is determined by the abundance of the main food - small rodents. As a rule, the ermine prefers to settle near water: along the banks and floodplains of rivers and streams, near forest lakes, along coastal meadows, thickets of shrubs and reeds. It rarely enters the depths of forests; in the forests it keeps old overgrown burnt areas and clearings, forest edges (especially near villages and arable lands); in dense forests, he likes spruce and alder groves near the streams. Common in copses, along steppe ravines and gullies. Avoids open spaces. Sometimes it settles near human habitation, in fields, gardens and forest parks, even on the outskirts of cities.

Leads a predominantly solitary territorial way of life. The boundaries of the individual site are marked with the secretion of the anal glands. Plot sizes vary from 10 to 20 ha; in males, it is usually twice as large as in females, and intersects with their areas. Males and females live separately and meet only during the mating season. In hungry and low-fed years, stoats leave their territories and move, sometimes over considerable distances. Sometimes migration also causes mass reproduction of rodents in neighboring areas.

The stoat is active mainly in the twilight-night hours, sometimes it is also found during the day. In the choice of shelters, including broods, unpretentious. It can be found in the most unexpected places - for example, in haystacks, heaps of stones, in the ruins of abandoned buildings or in logs piled against the wall of a residential building. It also occupies tree hollows, often hiding in them during floods. Often the ermine occupies the burrows and nesting chambers of the rodents killed by it. The female lines her brood hole with the skins and hair of dead rodents, less often with dry grass. The ermine does not dig holes on its own. In winter, it does not have permanent shelters and uses random shelters - under stones, tree roots, logs. Rarely returns to the place of the day.

The stoat swims and climbs well, but is essentially a specialized land predator. Mouse-like rodents predominate in its diet, but unlike its relative, the weasel, which feeds on small voles, the stoat preys on larger rodents - water voles, hamsters, chipmunks, haystacks, lemmings, etc., overtaking them in burrows and under snow. The size does not allow it to penetrate into the holes of smaller rodents. Females hunt in burrows more often than males. Of secondary importance in the stoat diet are birds and their eggs, as well as fish and shrews. Even less often (with a lack of basic food), the ermine eats amphibians, lizards and insects. Able to attack animals larger than himself (grouse, hazel grouse, white partridges, hares and rabbits); in famine years, he even eats garbage or steals meat and fish from people. When food is plentiful, the stoat builds up stocks, exterminating more rodents than it can eat. Prey kills like a weasel - biting through the skull in the occipital region. Ermine tracks down rodents, focusing on the smell, insects - on the sound, fish - with the help of vision.

Ermine is a very mobile and dexterous animal. His movements are fast, but somewhat fussy. On hunting per day, it travels up to 15 km, in winter - an average of 3 km. On the snow it moves in jumps up to 50 cm long, pushing off the ground with both hind legs. It is an excellent swimmer and easily climbs trees. Pursued by the enemy, it often sits on a tree until the danger has passed. Usually silent, but in an excited state it chirps loudly, can chirp, hiss and even bark.

The stoat is polygamous and breeds once a year. Sexual activity in males lasts 4 months, from mid-February to early June. Pregnancy in females with a long latent stage (8-9 months) - embryos do not develop until March. In total, it lasts 9-10 months, so the cubs appear in April - May of the next year. The number of cubs in litters ranges from 3 to 18, with an average of 4-9. Only the female takes care of them.

Newborns weigh 3-4 g with a body length of 32-51 mm, are born blind, toothless, with closed auditory canals and covered with sparse white hair. At 30-41 days they begin to see clearly, and at 2-3 months they are indistinguishable from adults in size. At the end of June - in July, they already get food on their own.

Females reach puberty very early, at 2-3 months, and males only at the age of 11-14 months. Young females (aged 60-70 days) can be productively covered by adult males, a unique case among mammals, contributing to the survival of the species. The average life expectancy of an ermine is 1-2 years, the maximum is 7 years. The fertility and abundance of stoats fluctuate greatly, rising sharply during the years of abundance of rodents and falling catastrophically when they die out.

Japanese weasel

Japanese Weasels

(Mustela itatsi)

Distributed in Japan, where it is found on the islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku. It has also been introduced to the islands of Hokkaido, Ryukyu and Sakhalin to control the number of rodents.

Body length about 35 cm, tail length - 17 cm.

yellow-bellied weasel

Yellow-bellied Weasel

(Mustela kathiah)

Distributed from northern Pakistan to southeastern China.

Body length 21.5-29 cm, tail - 12.5-19 cm. Weight about 1.56 kg.

It lives in subtropical forests, rising up to 1800-4000 m above sea level. Prefers pine forests. The yellow-bellied weasel mainly feeds on rodents (rats and field mice), small mammals and birds.

Leads a solitary and territorial way of life.

The female builds a lair in holes, voids in the ground, under rocks or logs. The den itself is lined with dry grass. Soon after birth, another rut is observed, ending with mating. Pregnancy lasts up to 10 months (most of the period falls on the latent period in the development of the egg). The female gives birth to 3-18 blind and helpless puppies.

Little weasel

Least Weasel

(Mustela nivalis)

Distributed in Europe, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Asia Minor, northern Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia, China, Korean Peninsula, Japan, North America, Australia.

The length of the animal varies, depending on belonging to a particular subspecies, from 11.4 to 21.6 cm. Weight 40-100 g.

Inhabits various biotopes (forests, steppes and forest-steppes, field margins, swamps, shores of reservoirs, deserts, tundra, alpine meadows).

Almost the entire diet of the weasel consists of small mouse-like rodents (house, field and forest mice, rats), moles and shrews, as well as young rabbits, chickens, pigeons, eggs and chicks of birds. When there is a shortage of food, it eats amphibians, small fish, lizards, small snakes, insects and crayfish.

Weasel is a dexterous and agile animal, runs fast, climbs and swims well. It is distinguished by courage and bloodthirstiness, able to crawl through the narrowest cracks and holes. Mice are stalked in their own burrows. It grabs small animals by the back of the head or head, biting through the skull in the back of the head, often attacks animals much larger than itself, clinging to their neck. In bird eggs, the weasel makes several holes and sucks out the contents. Often makes stocks (from 1 to 30 voles and mice are found in one place).

Active at different times of the day, but more often hunts at dusk and at night. Moves by jumping. Leads (for the most part) an earthly way of life. When bypassing his area, keeps close to the bushes and other covers. Avoids open spaces. You can walk 1-2 km per day. In winter, with deep snow, it moves in its voids.

It does not dig burrows, but uses rodent burrows or voids between stones, wood masonry, low-lying (up to 2 m) hollows of trees, tree roots and deadwood, rock crevices. He drags dry grass, moss and leaves into the den. On the site usually equips several permanent dwellings.

Leads a solitary and territorial way of life. The size of an individual plot is small - up to 10 hectares. These sizes depend on the abundance of prey and the weather. Often the area of ​​the male overlaps the area of ​​the female. The boundaries of the site are marked with odor marks.

Polygamous, during the rut, the male can mate with several females. For childbirth, the female lines the nest with dry grass, moss and leaves. If the nest is disturbed, then the mother takes the cubs to another place. In case of extreme danger, the weasel protects its nest to the last. Broods stay together for 3-4 months and disintegrate at the end of summer or autumn.

Mating takes place in March. After a five-week pregnancy, the female gives birth to 5 to 7, less often 3 and 8 cubs. The eyes open on the 21st-25th day of life. When puppies begin to leave the nest, they follow their mother everywhere, exploring the immediate surroundings, and then move farther and farther away from their native nest. Gradually, the instinct to follow weakens, and young animals begin to travel on their own.

white striped weasel

Back-striped Weasel

(Mustela strigidorsa)

Distributed in Asia - from Nepal to the east to China (Yunan province), Thailand, Laos, Bhutan, Sikkim, India, Vietnam, Assam.

The length of the head and body of the female is about 28.5 cm, the length of the tail is 15.2 cm.

Inhabits a variety of forests located at an altitude of 1000-2500 m above sea level.

The white-striped weasel is one of the most mysterious and little-studied mammals of northeast Asia. Over the years of its study, only eight individuals fell into the hands of scientists: three from Sikkim, and one each from Nepal, Laos, Mynmar, Fenasserim and Thailand. Although information from local residents about the meeting with this animal is gradually accumulating.

Colombian weasel

Colombian Weasel

(Mustela felipei)

Known from 5 animals found in the Andes of Northern Ecuador and in the highlands of the Cordilleras of Central and Western Colombia. Inhabits mountain forests along the banks and near rivers and streams with a calm current. The climate in their habitats is subtropical.

The body length is about 22 cm. The weight of a single weighted Colombian weasel was 138 g.

The Colombian weasel is a terrestrial carnivorous predator. There is little information about the diet. This weasel needs to eat prey per day (small mammals, birds and insects, and possibly fish), which is about 40% of its weight.

Malay weasel

Malaysian Weasel

(Mustela nudipes)

Distributed in Thailand, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo), Malay Peninsula, Malaysia, Brunei. On the island of Java is absent. It lives at an altitude of 400 to 1700 m above sea level.

The body length of this animal is 30-36 cm, the tail length is 24-26 cm. The general color of the body is reddish-brown, the head is noticeably lighter.

steppe ferret

Steppe Polecat

(Mustela eversmanni)

The steppe polecat is found in the west from Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic, and further east along the forest-steppe, steppes and semi-deserts of Russia from Transbaikalia to the Middle Amur, as well as in Central and Central Asia to the Far East and Eastern China. In the last century, the range of the steppe ferret has noticeably expanded to the west and partly to the north. Avoids forests and settlements.

Body length 52-56 cm, tail - up to 18 cm, body weight up to 2 kg.

Hunts for ground squirrels, hamsters, pikas, mouse-like rodents, less often for birds, snakes and frogs, in summertime and for invertebrates. Ferrets living near rivers and lakes also prey on water voles.

Leads a nocturnal and twilight lifestyle, sometimes active during the day. He arranges permanent nests on dry hills, occupying the holes of other rodents (marmots, ground squirrels, hamsters), slightly expanding and equipping them. He digs burrows only when absolutely necessary and uses them as temporary ones. In the fields, he settles in thickets of tall grass, near rocks, in ruins, between roots and in hollows of trees.

On the ground it moves in jumps (up to 50-70 cm), practically does not climb trees. Swims well and can dive. Vision is well developed. Easily jumps from great heights. In times of danger, it defends itself with a smelly and caustic secret from the anal glands, shooting it at the enemy. In winter, it often pursues rodents under the snow.

Outside of the breeding season, the steppe polecat leads a solitary lifestyle. The borders of an individual plot are practically not guarded. When meeting same-sex individuals, aggression does not occur. During mating, males fight each other for a female, while they scream loudly and bite each other. For childbirth, the female builds a nest in a pile of hay or in tree hollows (from grass and other soft material). The nest is lined with feathers, down and dry grass. The male takes part in rearing the offspring. If the first litter dies, then over the next 6-26 days, the female goes into estrus.

Pregnancy lasts about 1.5 months. The female gives birth to 4-10 naked puppies. Eyes open on day 28-39. Until the cubs are overgrown with hair, the female rarely leaves them. Lactation lasts up to 2.5 months. At the age of 7-8 weeks, puppies are already trying to get rodents on their own. The female actively protects the cubs. The brood stays together for up to 2.5 months, and at the end of summer, young ferrets disperse in search of their territory.

black-footed ferret

Black-footed Ferret

(Mustela nigripes)

It inhabits the eastern and southern regions of the Rocky Mountains, the territory of the Great Plains from Albert and Saskatchewan to Texas and Arizona (USA).

Approximately 45 cm long, with a bushy 15 cm tail, weighs over 1 kg.

Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Hearing, sight and smell are well developed. The species is highly dependent on prairie dogs. Almost all the time (up to 99%) he spends in their holes. In the area of ​​these colonies, he rests and sleeps, immediately gets his own food, avoids predators, bad weather and feeds offspring. Males are more active than females. In winter, the activity of black-footed ferrets decreases, as does the area of ​​the surveyed territory. On cold and snowy days it remains in the hole, feeding on its reserves.

On the ground it moves in jumps or at a slow gallop (up to 8-11 km/h). In one night you can walk up to 10 km. Males cover more distance (almost twice) than females.

In addition to the breeding season, it leads a solitary lifestyle. Uses scent tags to communicate with relatives. He marks the boundaries of his site with a secret from the prianal glands. In favorable years, the population density is one ferret per 50 ha of prairie dog colonies. The territory of adult ferrets is (in diameter) 1-2 km.

Pregnancy lasts 41-45 days. The female gives birth to 3-4 puppies (on average). As the cubs grow older, the female leaves them alone during the day in the nest, while she hunts. Young people begin to hunt on their own in September-October.

forest ferret

European Polecat

(Mustela putorius)

It is widely distributed throughout Western Europe, although its habitat is gradually shrinking. A rather large population of ferrets lives in England and almost throughout the European part of Russia, except for North Karelia, the northeast of the Crimea, the Caucasus, and the Lower Volga region. In recent decades, information has appeared about the settlement of the Black Ferret in the forests of Finland and Karelia. It also lives in the forests of northwest Africa.

They weigh from 1000 g to 1710 g, 36-48 cm long, 15-17 cm tail. Females are one and a half times smaller. The length of the tail of females is 8.5-15 cm.

Forest ferrets like to settle in small forests and individual groves mixed with fields and meadows (they avoid continuous taiga massifs). The ferret is called the "edge" predator, since the edges of the forests are its typical hunting ground. Often seen in the floodplains of small rivers, as well as near other bodies of water. It can swim, but not as well as its close relative the European mink (Mustela lutreola). It also inhabits city parks.

Ferrets lead a sedentary lifestyle and become attached to a specific habitat. The size of the habitat is small. As permanent shelters, natural shelters are most often used - heaps of dead wood, laying firewood, rotten stumps, haystacks. Sometimes ferrets settle in badger or fox holes, in villages and villages they find refuge in sheds, cellars and even under the roofs of rural baths. The forest ferret almost never digs its own burrows.

Despite the relatively large size compared to many representatives of the genus, this ferret is a typical mouse-eater. The basis of nutrition for the black ferret is voles and mice, in summer it often catches frogs, toads, young water rats, as well as snakes, wild birds, large insects (locust, etc.), penetrates hare holes and strangles young hares. When it settles next to a person, it can attack poultry and rabbits.

Ferrets very dexterously move in heaps of deadwood and between stones, they are aggressive and somewhat fearless with enemies, even exceeding it in size and weight. The forest ferret hunts, as a rule, in the dark, during the day it can be forced to leave the shelter only by severe hunger. The ferret watches for rodents at holes or catches on the run.

The ferret's rut ​​begins in spring, in April-May, sometimes in the second half of June. A month and a half after fertilization, the female has from 4 to 6 cubs. Females selflessly protect their brood from any danger. Young ferrets have a well-developed special juvenile "mane" - elongated hair on the nape. The brood stays with the mother until autumn, and sometimes until the next spring. Animals become sexually mature at the age of one.

The genus (Mustela) also includes:
Sea mink (Mustela macrodon) † - lived in the sea line of Maine and possibly Northeast Canada. She lived among the coastal cliffs and on the islands, and this may have been the reason for her name. Science knows the sea mink only from information from fur hunters and from incomplete skeletons found in heaps of rubbish of Indian tribes;
Mountain Indonesian mink (Mustela lutreolina) - lives on the islands of Java and Sumatra, Indonesia in mountain heights of more than 1,000 meters and in equatorial forests. One of the most unstudied representatives of the family;
Amazonian weasel (Mustela africana) - lives in South America, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru. Despite the Latin name, Mustela africana does not live in Africa;
Egyptian weasel (Mustela subpalmata) - inhabits the Nile Valley in Egypt.

honey badger

honey badger

(Mellivora capensis)

The range of honey badgers covers large parts of Africa and Asia. In Africa, it is found almost everywhere, from Morocco and Egypt to South Africa. In Asia, its habitat extends from the Arabian Peninsula to Central Asia, as well as to India and Nepal.

The body length reaches up to 77 cm, not counting the tail about 25 cm. Their weight varies from 7 to 13 kg, males are slightly heavier than females.

Honey badgers live in various climatic zones, including steppes, forests and mountainous areas up to 3000 meters. However, they avoid extremely hot or humid regions such as deserts or rainforests.

They are active mainly at dusk or at night, but in untouched regions or in cool weather they can be seen during the day. For sleeping, they use self-dug holes from one to three meters deep with a small closet lined with soft material. On the territory of their range, honey badgers have several such holes, and since they make long trips in a day, they almost never spend the night in the same place for two nights in a row. In search of food, they move on the ground, but sometimes they climb trees, especially when they want to get to honey, which gave them their name.

Like most other species of the mustelid family, honey badgers live alone, and only occasionally can they be observed in small groups - usually young families or bachelor packs. They have relatively large ranges covering several square kilometers. They inform their relatives about their presence with the help of a secret secreted by special anal glands.

Honey badgers are considered very fearless and even aggressive animals that have almost no natural enemies. Their very thick skin, with the exception of a thin layer on the abdomen, cannot be pierced even by the teeth of predatory large cats and poisonous snakes, as well as porcupine quills. Strong forepaws with long claws and teeth of honey badgers are effective defensive weapons. In addition, they are able, like skunks, to emit a fetid odor if they are attacked. They themselves, if they feel threatened, attack animals whose size is much larger than their own, including cows and buffaloes.

Honey badgers are predatory animals. Their prey includes various rodents, as well as juveniles of larger species such as foxes or antelopes. In addition to them, honey badger food includes birds and their eggs, reptiles, including small crocodiles and poisonous snakes, as well as amphibians, carrion, insect larvae, scorpions and other invertebrates. Compared to other types of mustelids, honey badgers consume relatively little plant food; from it they feed on berries, fruits, roots and tubers.

Notable is their love of honey, which gave honey badgers their name. It is widely believed that the honey badger lives in symbiosis with a small African species of woodpecker called the greater honey indicator (Indicator indicator). The honeyguide allegedly lures the honey badger with special calls to bee nests, which the honey badger tears with its claws, licking the honey, and the honey badger eats bee larvae. How true this is is the subject of debate, scientific evidence for this is not yet available.

There are various data on the gestation period of honey badgers, which is probably due to the fluctuating rate of development of a fertilized egg characteristic of mustelids. Five or six months elapse between mating and birth, but immediate pregnancy is probably shorter. There are two to four newborns in a honey badger's litter, spending their first weeks in a structure lined with dry plants. The young remain with the mother for quite a long time, often more than a year. The life expectancy of a honey badger in the wild is unknown, in captivity it is up to 26 years.

American badger

american badger

(Taxidea taxus)

Distributed from southwestern Canada to central Mexico.

Body length - 42-74 cm, tail - 10-16 cm. Weight - up to 10-12 kg.

Inhabits arid and semi-desert areas covered with shrubs (open meadows, fields and pastures). It occurs in mountain forests and subalpine meadows (up to 3000 m above sea level), as well as in the alpine tundra.

The American badger is primarily nocturnal, but is often seen during the day as well. Spends daylight hours in a hole that he digs himself. When digging in soft soil, the badger uses its claws and teeth to move towards the obstacle, burrowing itself into the ground and disappearing from view for several minutes. For the arrangement of the den, it often occupies the old burrows of foxes and coyotes. He uses his burrows for different purposes, which determines the complexity of the device, the depth of occurrence and length: for daytime rest, winter sleep, breeding or storing food supplies. Some holes are used as temporary ones, dug in case of an unforeseen dangerous situation. A typical den of a lone badger is a tunnel about 10 m long with a nesting chamber located at a depth of about 3 m from the ground.

It feeds on rodents and other small animals: field mice, chipmunks, ground squirrels, skunks, snakes, eggs and chicks of birds nesting on the ground, insects and their larvae, worms and carrion. The American badger also hunts rattlesnakes, the tender meat of which he obviously likes. If the hunt was successful, then they hide the excess food in their lair to eat later. If a badger is cornered, it may attack its enemy. Thick and hard fur, strong neck muscles reliably protect him, besides, he bites, scratches and emits an unpleasant odor from the anal glands. The badger slowly retreats into the nearest hole, and, having reached the hole, clogs the entrance hole from the inside. If there is no suitable hole nearby, the animal quickly begins to dig it, throwing dirt and earth right into the attacker's face. The badger is very clean, he always hides his droppings, and often and thoroughly cleans himself, licking his hair. In the north of the range and in the mountains, it falls into winter sleep for several days or weeks. During sleep, body temperature drops and heart rate slows by half. The entrance to the hole at the time of sleep, the badger usually clogs from the inside. In winter, sometimes a badger leaves its dwelling for a short time, but does not move further than 250 m from the hole.

The American badger is a territorial animal. The site of the male is surrounded by the sites of several females. Badgers do not protect the borders of the plots, but they desperately protect their hole from the intrusion of strangers. In addition to the breeding season and the rearing of offspring, it leads a solitary lifestyle.

Pregnancy lasts up to 6 months. The female gives birth to 1 to 5 badgers in a nest, arranged deep underground in a complex burrow. Newborns are helpless and blind, covered with sparse fur. The eyes open in the fourth week. Lactation lasts about 6 weeks.

Badger

Eurasian Badger

(Meles meles)

It inhabits almost all of Europe (except for the northern regions of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Finland and the European part of Russia), the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, Crimea, Asia Minor and Central Asia, South and Central Siberia, the south of the Far East, East China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan.

Body length - 60-90 cm, tail - 20-24 cm; weight - up to 24 kg, in autumn, before hibernation - up to 34 kg.

It is found mainly in mixed and taiga forests, less often in mountain forests; in the south of its range it occurs in steppes and semi-deserts. Adheres to dry, well-drained areas, but near (up to 1 km) water bodies or swampy lowlands, where the food base is richer.

The badger lives in deep burrows, which it digs along the slopes of sandy hills, forest ravines and gullies. Animals from generation to generation adhere to their favorite places; as shown by special geochronological studies, some of the badger towns are several thousand years old. Solitary individuals use simple burrows with one entrance and a nesting chamber. Old badger settlements represent a complex multi-tiered underground structure with several (up to 40-50) inlets and ventilation holes and long (5-10 m) tunnels leading to 2-3 extensive nesting chambers lined with dry litter, located at a depth of up to 5 m. Nesting chambers are often located under the protection of an aquifer that prevents rain and groundwater from seeping into them. Periodically, the burrows are cleaned by badgers, the old litter is thrown out. Often, badger burrows are occupied by other animals: foxes, raccoon dogs.

The badger is nocturnal, although it can often be seen during daylight hours - in the morning before 8, in the evening - after 5-6 hours.

The badger is omnivorous. It feeds on mouse-like rodents, frogs, lizards, birds and their eggs, insects and their larvae, mollusks, earthworms, mushrooms, berries, nuts and grass. While hunting, the badger has to go around large areas, rummaging through fallen trees, tearing off the bark of trees and stumps in search of worms and insects. Sometimes in one hunt a badger gets 50-70 or more frogs, hundreds of insects and earthworms. However, he eats only 0.5 kg of food per day, and only by autumn eats heavily and puts on fat, which serves as a source of food for him during winter sleep.

This is the only representative of mustelids that hibernates for the winter. In the northern regions, the badger already hibernates in October - November until March-April; in the southern regions, where winters are mild and short, it is active all year round.

Badgers are monogamous. Pairs are formed in them since autumn, but mating and fertilization occur at different times, and therefore the duration of pregnancy, which has a long latent stage, changes. Pregnancy in a female can last from 271 days (during summer mating) to 450 days (during winter). Cubs (2-6) are born: in Europe - in December - April, in Russia - in March - April. A few days later, the females are fertilized again. The cubs begin to see clearly at 35-42 days, and at the age of 3 months they already feed on their own. In autumn, on the eve of hibernation, the broods break up.

Young females become sexually mature in the second year of life, males - in the third. The life expectancy of a badger is 10-12, in captivity - up to 16 years.

Teledu

Hog Badger

(Arctonyx collaris)

Distributed in Southeast Asia: Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, about. Sumatra.

Body length up to 70 cm, weight 7-14 kg.

Inhabits forested plains, alpine forests and hills (teledu rises up to 3500 m above sea level), forest areas, tropical forests (jungle), agricultural fields.

It is nocturnal (but in India it can also be seen early in the morning or late in the evening), during the day it hides in a hole dug by it or hides in natural shelters (hollows under stones or boulders, in riverbeds). Peak activity in China is from 3 am to 5 am and from 7 pm to 9 pm.

When attacked by a predator, it defends itself with its claws and strong teeth. The teledu has thick skin that protects it well from the teeth of enemies. The coloration also serves as a warning that it is dangerous and is best left alone. Like other mustelids, it has anal glands that secrete a caustic secretion.

There is evidence that from November to February (March) teledu fall into winter sleep.

The diet includes: earthworms, invertebrates, roots, root crops and fruits, small mammals. It finds food thanks to its sense of smell, and with the help of molars and incisors of the lower jaw it digs it out of the ground.

Most likely, he leads a solitary lifestyle, tk. most often they are met one at a time. Sometimes there are females that move with their offspring in the den area.

Pregnancy lasts about 10 months. The female teledu gives birth to 2-4 puppies (average 3). Newborns weigh 58 g. Lactation lasts up to 4 months. Puppies reach the size of an adult animal at 7-8 months.

Burmese ferret badger

Burmese ferret-badger

(Melogale personata)

Distributed in Southeast Asia (Nepal, India, Burma, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Java).

Body length 33-44 cm, tail 15-23 cm. Weight - 1-3 kg.

Little is known about the behavior of the ferret badger. It is nocturnal, but can also be found at dusk. Animals spend the day in a hole or other shelter. They do not dig holes themselves, but use abandoned burrows of other animals. It is mainly a terrestrial animal, but, hunting for insects and snails, it climbs trees.

For communication with relatives and for protection, it uses the secret of the anal glands. As the badger travels through its territory, it marks its path so that it can later find a trail and return back to its burrow. Marks the boundaries of his site with the same marks, warning that he is already occupied.

The diet includes cockroaches, grasshoppers, beetles and earthworms. Along the way, it hunts small mammals (young rats), as well as frogs, toads, small lizards and birds. It eats carrion, bird eggs and plant foods (fruits).

Leads a solitary and territorial way of life. The individual plot of a male occupies 4-9 ha and overlaps the plots of several females. Pregnancy lasts 57-80 days. The female gives birth to 1-3 puppies. Lactation lasts 2-3 weeks.

Chinese ferret badger

Chinese ferret-badger

(Melogale moschata)

Inhabits grasslands and open forests of Northeast India, South China, Taiwan, and North Indochina.

Body length - 33-43 cm, tail - 15-23 cm.

Bornean ferret badger

Bornean ferret-badger

(Melogale everetti)

It lives in the mountains of Kinabalu Park (Malaysia) at an altitude of 1000 to 3000 m above sea level.

Body length 33-44 cm, tail 15-23 cm.

The Java ferret badger (Melogale orientalis) also belongs to the genus (Melogale).

Otter

Eurasian Otter

(Lutra lutra)

It is found in a vast area covering almost all of Europe (except the Netherlands and Switzerland), Asia (except the Arabian Peninsula) and North Africa. In Russia, it is absent only in the Far North.

The length of her body is 55-95 cm, tail - 26-55 cm, weight - 6-10 kg. Paws are short, with swimming membranes. The tail is muscular, not fluffy.

The otter leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle, perfectly swimming, diving and getting its food in the water. It lives mainly in forest rivers rich in fish, less often in lakes and ponds. Found on the coast. Prefers rivers with whirlpools, with rapids that do not freeze in winter, with washed-out, littered with windbreak banks, where there are many reliable shelters and places for burrowing. Sometimes he makes his lairs in caves or, like a nest, in thickets near the water. The entrance holes of its holes open under water.

The hunting grounds of one otter in summer make up a section of the river from 2 to 18 km long and about 100 m deep into the coastal zone. In winter, with the depletion of fish stocks and the freezing of polynyas, it is forced to roam, sometimes crossing high watersheds straight across. At the same time, the otter descends from the slopes, rolling down on its belly and leaving a characteristic trace in the form of a gutter. It travels up to 15-20 km per day on ice and snow.

The otter feeds mainly on fish (carp, pike, trout, roach, gobies), and prefers small fish. In winter it eats frogs, quite regularly - caddisfly larvae. In summer, in addition to fish, it catches water voles and other rodents; in some places systematically hunts waders and ducks.

Otters are solitary animals. Mating, depending on climatic conditions, occurs in spring (March - April) or almost all year round (in England). Otters mate in the water. Pregnancy - with a latent period reaching up to 270 days; the gestation period itself is only 63 days. There are usually 2-4 blind cubs in a brood. Sexual maturity in otters occurs in the second or third year.

spotted otter

Spot-necked Otter

(Lutra maculicollis)

It is found in lakes Victoria and Tanganyika, as well as in wetlands located south of the Sahara desert. The otter settles near permanent or drying up water sources during the drought. Preference is given to calm water and rocky shores, found in lakes, swamps, rivers, as well as in mountain streams at high altitudes. It does not enter rivers with strong currents and shallow lakes with shoals.

Body length up to 57.5 cm, tail 33-44.5 cm long. Weight of males 4-5 kg, females 3.5-4 kg.

Active at any time of the day. She is most active 2-3 hours before sunset or after sunrise. He sleeps in his hole, which he arranges in the immediate vicinity of the water. The spotted otter is one of the most skilled swimmers of all freshwater otters. The animals are playful and spend a lot of time playing with other otters, but they can also play alone. It prefers shallow waters more than deep waters, since it is in them that the main prey, cichlids, abound. Fishing is carried out no further than 10 m from the shore. Sharp claws are indispensable for catching fish, which they eat from the tail, sometimes throwing off their heads. Observations have shown that the otter usually fishes for 10-20 minutes.

Common food is fish (barbs, clarias, haplochromis, largemouth bass, brown trout and tilapia), frogs, crabs, mollusks, aquatic insects and their larvae.

Leads a solitary life, except when the female has cubs. Such family groups (3-4 individuals) can be seen only during the period of rearing offspring. The male has a large territory, within which several females can live. Each otter secures a territory of up to 3.5 km of coastline. They do not strongly protect their territory, allowing other otters to hunt within it.

Pregnancy lasts 60-65 days. The female gives birth to 2-3 puppies. Cubs are born with a delicate fur coat. Swimming begins at the eighth week. Lactation lasts up to 12-16 weeks. Young otters play a lot, which helps them master their hunting skills. As they grow older, young otters settle and lead an independent life.

Sumatran otter

Hairy-nosed Otter

(Lutra sumatrana)

Distributed in Asia (Java, Borneo, Sumatra, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia). For a long time, the species was considered extinct, until a population was discovered in Thailand in 1998.

Body length - 50-82 cm, tail - 35-50 cm.

Inhabits forests with boggy peatlands, rush and reed beds, canals, coastal shallows and mangrove forests, meadows with mature forest.

Almost nothing is known about the lifestyle and reproduction of this otter.

The genus (Lutra) also includes the Japanese otter (Lutra nippon), an extinct or endangered species.

smooth-haired otter

Smooth-coated Otter

(Lutrogale perspicillata)

Distributed in Iraq, South and Southeast Asia, South China.

Body length with head 65.5-79 cm, tail - 40.6-50.5 cm. Weight - 7-11 kg.

Lives in various habitats - large rivers and lakes, peat swampy forests, mangrove forests along the coast and estuaries, rice fields, rocky areas (along large rivers). Avoids open clay and sandy shores.

The smooth-haired otter is an unusually social animal. Males and females reside and raise young together. Presumably the female is dominant over all animals in the group.

The feeding territory of such a group covers an area of ​​7-12 km 2 and includes one or more burrows with at least one entrance below the water level. Territory boundaries are marked by heaps of droppings and the musky secretion of anal glands located at the base of the tail. Otters use scent to define site boundaries and as a means of communication: they mark vegetation, flat rocks, or coastlines in their territory.

giant otter

Giant Otter

(Pteronura brasiliensis)

It lives in the rainforests of the Amazon basin. The river system in which the giant otter is found also includes the Orinoco and La Plata rivers.

Body length up to two meters (of which about 70 cm is the tail) and body weight over 20 kg.

The giant otter is active during the day and is not very fearful. In the water, she hunts for fish and water birds, on land she does not disdain mice and bird eggs. Hunting is organized in groups, that is, members of one such hunting group drive the fish towards each other.

The dwelling is a hole, the entrance to which leads from under the water, a public toilet is always arranged nearby. It looks out for prey in clear water with its eyes, and at the bottom and in muddy water - with the help of sensitive whiskers. At the age of 2-3 years, young otters leave the family group in search of their territory. During their journey, they do not join already formed groups, except when it is possible to replace one of the members of the dominant couple. If the otter fails to find its territory and start a family, it returns to its parents.

The giant otter is a very social animal that lives in family groups (4-8, sometimes up to 20 individuals), where the primacy belongs to the female - she owns the initiative to choose the time and place for hunting and recreation. The dominant male drives away other otters from the family plot, and all members of the family participate in the fight with the border violators. Several animals regularly patrol the boundaries of the territory. The group consists of a breeding pair, one or more adult puppies and young. Usually the number of males and females is the same. The breeding pair is devoted to each other: they sleep together in the same hole, and during the hunt they stay close. The size of the family hunting area depends on the season (12-23 km along the bay or 20 km along the lake). The boundaries of the site are marked by the smell of anal glands and excrement. All members of the group maintain close ties with each other: they take care of each other's coat, play, sleep and hunt together, and also take care of the offspring, replacing each other on duty in the hole.

There is no specific breeding season. Pregnancy lasts 65-70 days. The female in the hole gives birth to 3-5 puppies weighing up to 200 grams. At birth, the cubs already have cream spots. The fur is light brown, as it grows older it darkens. At the fourth week, the eyes open, at two months they learn to swim and try to eat fish. Lactation lasts up to 5 months.

Canadian otter

North American River Otter

(Lontra canadensis)

It lives in North America from Alaska and Canada almost everywhere in the USA, with the exception of the dry areas of Texas, Arizona, Nevada and California south to Mexico.

Body length 90-120 cm, tail 32-46 cm. Weight - up to 14 kg.

Usually settles within hundreds of meters from a water source, but is unpretentious to any climate and terrain.

Eats aquatic animals, mainly amphibians, fish, lobsters, crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates. There are cases of attacks on water birds and small mammals. If there is no other food, otters eat berries (especially blueberries) and fruits. About 80% of the total diet of the river otter consists of aquatic organisms.

The lifestyle of the Canadian river otter is semi-aquatic. The front legs are shorter than the hind legs, which allows otters to swim well. When animals swim slowly, they row with all four paws. During fast swimming or diving, the otter presses its short front legs to the sides of the body, and begins to work with strong hind legs and tail, causing undulating movements. With its muscular tail, it can make sharp turns, although the paws and neck play a major role in controlling and regulating movements. Canadian otter can dive to a depth of 18 m.

The eyes of the otter are adapted for hunting underwater. In muddy waters, when visibility is poor, otters hunt by using sensitive whiskers that sense the vibration of the water produced by potential prey.

Otters are very efficient predators. They grab their prey with their jaws, not their paws. Animals are playful, love to slide on mud or snow, you can often see a group of otters playing.

Warm fur keeps the body warm and dry even in cool winter waters. Water-repellent properties are given to it by a special grease. But in order for the fur to retain its properties, it needs careful care, for which the otter spends a certain amount of time. When looking for new habitats, the otter moves along rivers or streams instead of traveling on land. And only in spring, young otters, in search of their own territory, also travel on land.

It occurs singly or in pairs, but sometimes otters are kept in small groups. As a rule, such groups are a family consisting of a mother and her offspring.

Hunting areas for river otters are large and usually include several kilometers (sometimes up to 40-50 km) of the river coastline, which animals regularly visit during hunting. The average population density is 1 otter for every 4 km of the river. Males have larger plots than females. Otters are territorial, but very tolerant of strangers, and try to avoid each other's company, marking their odor (a secret secreted from a gland at the base of the tail, urine and feces) on the boundaries of the territories.

The female Canadian otter arranges a lair in a hole among dense vegetation near water or in a hole that has both underwater and above-water entrances. A nest is built from thin branches of grass inside the lair. The female has four pairs of nipples. The female is capable of mating within 20 days after the birth of the young.

Pregnancy lasts 10-12 months. After fertilization, the eggs divide for some time, but do not touch the wall of the uterus, and only two months before birth, they come into contact with the mother's body and complete their development. The female gives birth to 2-4 blind puppies, completely covered with fur. The eyes open after 3-4 weeks. At two months of age, puppies begin to swim. Lactation lasts up to seven weeks. Until the age of 6 months, the female takes care of the cubs alone, then the father sometimes begins to take care of the offspring. Young otters in a family group learn to swim, dive and hunt. By the time they are completely independent. The young leave the mother when she is ready to give birth to the next litter. Only about half of the offspring survive to 2-3 years of age. Life expectancy in nature is 12-15 years, in captivity up to 23 years.

sea ​​otter

Marine Otter

(Lontra felina)

It occurs in the temperate and tropical zone of the Pacific coast of South America (from the north of Peru to the southernmost tip of Cape Horn). A small population has survived in Argentina on the east coast of Tierra del Fuego. The species was introduced to the Falkland Islands, where they were brought by fur breeders, where they currently live in small groups. To the north, the sea otter does not go further than 6 ° S, in the south - no further than 53 ° S.

Body length - 57.0-78.7 cm, tail length 30.0-36.2 cm. Body weight - 3.2-5.8 kg.

The sea otter, unlike its counterparts, lives exclusively in and near the sea. She settles in the littoral zone near rocky shores, where strong winds blow. They occupy secluded bays and areas of river estuaries connected with high and low tides of the order of 2.0-2.5 m, with banks with a dense roof of bushes and small trees that stretches down to the water level.

The main enemies are killer whales (killer whales). Young otters are preyed upon by sharks, predatory seabirds and animals.

The sea otter is omnivorous and feeds on the intertidal zone. The diet includes crabs (Lithodes antarctica), shellfish, fish, water birds and other marine organisms. Occasionally enters rivers in search of freshwater shrimp (Criphiops caementarius). In the fruit ripening season, they eat the fruits of coastal plants from the bromeliad family. Approximate composition of the diet: fish (30%), crustaceans (40%), molluscs (20%) and other feeds (10%).

The sea otter is a timid and secretive animal that is (mainly) diurnal (sometimes active at dusk and dawn). Animals spend 60-70% of their lives in water, hunting and foraging. It swims in water with only its head and upper back exposed.

The sea otter catches its prey 100-500 m from the shore, diving to a depth of 30-50 m, diving near rocks and in thickets of algae. Each dive lasts 15-30 seconds. This species does not use stones as tools to split shells of crustaceans, as does the river otter.

Although sea otters are predominantly aquatic animals, from time to time they also travel on land, moving away from the coast up to 30 m, and only while pursuing prey, they can go up to 500 m. On land, otters climb coastal rocks quite well. Animals love to rest in dense vegetation that grows on the shore at the water's edge, usually located no further than 2-2.5 m from the water. The otter's lair is a tunnel and a hole in which one of the manholes leads to land and leads out into dense thickets. All the time when animals are free from hunting, they rest. Favorite places of rest are located in dense vegetation. Lairs are used for brooding, feeding, resting and sleeping. Sea otters love to rest in the sun, perching on rocks about 1 meter above sea level. Otters arrange their rookeries and burrows in places abounding in food.

The sea otter leads a solitary life. The average population density is 1-10 otters per kilometer of coastline. Sometimes otters are found in groups of two or three, but no more. As a rule, they prefer to settle no closer than 200 m from each other. These are not territorial animals and, without any aggression, they treat the appearance of other animals of their species on the site. Several females may settle on the same site, which includes hunting grounds, resting places and burrows. Sometimes otters mark rocks and dens with urine and feces, but in general they often defecate in the place where they sleep.

Pregnancy lasts - 60-70 days. The female gives birth to two puppies (sometimes 4-5). Lactation continues for several months. The young stay with their parents for 10 months. Parents bring food to puppies and teach them how to hunt.

South American otter

Neotropical Otter

(Lontra longicaudis)

Distributed from Mexico to South America (Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil, northern Argentina).

Body length - 50-79 cm, tail - 37.5-57 cm. Body weight - 5-15 kg.

Inhabits lakes, rivers, swamps and lagoons of various riverine habitats located in deciduous and evergreen forests, savanna. Prefers to live in clean, fast-flowing rivers and streams. There is information about the residence of South American otters in the irrigation ditches of rice fields and sugar cane in Guyana.

southern river otter

Southern River Otter

(Lontra provocax)

Distributed in Central and Southern Chile and parts of Argentina.

The body length is from 100 to 116 cm, of which 35-46 cm falls on the tail.

Eastern clawless otter

Asian Small-clawed Otter

(Amblonyx cinereus)

Distributed in Indonesia, South China, South India, Asia and the Philippines.

Body length with head 45-61 cm, tail length - 25-35 cm. Body weight - 2.7-5.4 kg.

Inhabits swampy lowlands and mangrove forests of South Asia. Main habitats: small streams, shallow estuaries and paddy fields, both upland and coastal areas. Avoids deep water.

It feeds on crabs, snails, spiny lobsters, mollusks, frogs and other small aquatic animals.

The clawless otter spends more time on land than other species of otter. Like a raccoon, it finds prey by rummaging along the bottom with its paws, digging in the bottom silt and turning over stones. With its paws, the otter tears its prey into pieces before putting it into its mouth. Otters are the only mammals other than primates capable of using their "hands" like a human. Clams with a strong otter shell are carried ashore and laid out in the sun. After waiting for the mollusks to weaken and open themselves, the animals eat them.

Clawless otters are social, highly intelligent and curious animals. When they are awake, they play, swim or dig in the muddy bottom. One form of communication among otters is play. When not hunting or playing, otters bask on rocks to soak up the sun or swim lazily for pleasure. They build burrows near the water with an exit tunnel that is dug about 90 cm below the water, often with another entrance above the water level. Clawless otters have weak claws, so they can only burrow in very soft ground, more often they use natural hiding places or use the burrows of other animals.

Eastern clawless otters are social animals. Monogamous, females dominate males. Many otters, having reached physical maturity, remain with their parents, thus forming groups of 4-12 and even up to 20 individuals. Otters use sound and smell to communicate. They use scent to define territorial boundaries and provide information about the individual (gender, identity, time between visits). Each otter's scent is as individual as a fingerprint.

There are up to two litters per year. Estrus in a female eastern clawless otter lasts for 3 days, and if fertilization does not occur, then the cycle repeats again after 28 days. The female, ready for mating, secretes a secret with a musky smell from the odorous glands (located at the base of the tail). The male, having caught this smell, immediately begins to intensively care for his partner, who involves him in the games preceding mating. The offspring are raised by both parents. The male brings prey for the mother and offspring until the young pups begin to hunt on their own.

Pregnancy lasts 60-64 days. There are 2-6 cubs in a litter, which are born naked and helpless. Their weight is 40-50 g, length is about 14 cm. The milk of the eastern clawless otter is very fatty (the fat content is almost 6 times higher than in cow's milk), despite this, babies grow rather slowly. Eyes open on day 40. At 9 weeks of age, they begin to swim, and at 80 days they eat adult food.

Life expectancy in nature is 12-14 years, in captivity - a maximum of 22 years.

African clawless otter

African Clawless Otter

(Aonyx capensis)

Distributed in Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia, in the south it reaches South Africa, in the north to Abyssinia. Common in Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Less common in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Chad, Sierra Leone, Swaziland and Uganda, on the Ivory Coast.

The length of the body together with the head is 60-100 cm, the tail is 40-71 cm. Weight is from 12 to 15 kg.

Inhabits tropical forests, open plains and semi-deserts. It usually settles near a water source (slowly flowing rivers, along the banks of ponds or streams).

It feeds on crabs, lobsters, mollusks and frogs. Much less frequently, turtles, fish, lizards, waterfowl and near-aquatic small mammals may be present in its diet.

By way of life, an aquatic and semi-aquatic animal. The clawless otter prefers shallow water bodies. Most of the population lives in freshwater reservoirs, the rest occupies the sea coast. The clawless otter must necessarily drink fresh water and therefore, accordingly, lives near freshwater sources of water.

The otter spends most of its life in the water, swimming on the surface and diving to catch prey. During the hunt, the otter fumbles with its paws along the bottom, among stones and mud. When an otter sees prey, it dives straight down, grabs it, and returns to the surface. The otter tenaciously holds the caught prey with its paws, and, if necessary, helps itself with its teeth.

When eating prey, the clawless otter uses its forepaws and strong teeth that can crush mollusk shells. To open especially strong shells, he uses a stone as a tool. After hunting, the otter comes out of the water, rolls on the grass or sand until it dries, cleans the fur and often rubs against various objects: trees, stumps, earthen ledges, flat rocks, then the otter basks in the sun.

Latrine places have been found near cleansing and resting areas, but African clawless otters most often use special places located near the den for the toilet. The distance from the "toilet" to the water is on average 4.2 m. The otter, which lives on the sea coast, hunts both in the sea and in coastal swamps with fresh water. During the drought, she is forced to roam in search of suitable conditions.

For daytime rest or for den, the clawless otter often uses burrows dug by other animals, or settles in dense thickets of vegetation located along the banks of rivers or on islets. Sometimes she makes her lair under rocks, snags, fallen trees, or under driftwood. In sandy soil, the otter itself digs holes. Some burrows have multiple entrances located above or below the water level, and dug tunnels reach from 1.9 to 2.9 m in length. The entrance hole is 246-361 mm high and 32-85 mm wide (depending on the size of the burrow owner). The burrow ends with a lair 30-40 cm in diameter, which is always lined with vegetation. The otter has its lair no further than 15 (rarely 50 m) from a freshwater reservoir. Neighboring dens are within one kilometer of each other.

The African clawless otter is, on the one hand, a rather solitary animal, but at the same time, the animals are kept by related groups, the hunting areas of which often overlap. Males hunt on a territory of 17 km, females - 14, although they spend most of their lives within their home range, which is half the size of the hunting one. Otters from families living in the neighborhood often feed together, often by joint efforts defending the boundaries of their sites from strangers.

Pregnancy lkbncz approximately 63 days. The female gives birth to 2-5 puppies (on average - 2-3). Newborn puppies are blind and are born covered in pale smoky grey, poorly developed sparse fur. At a week of age, puppies weigh about 260 g, and two-week-old - 700-1400 g. Puppies begin to see clearly in the interval from 16 to 30 days. The female feeds the puppies with milk: she has two pairs of breast nipples. Between 8 and 16 weeks, clawless otter puppies gain about 330 grams in weight. in Week. The female stops feeding milk at 45-60 days of age. The offspring stay with the mother for a year or more.

sea ​​otter

Sea Otter

(Enhydra lutris)

Distributed in the Russian Far East, off the coast of Alaska and off the coast of California.

Adult males have a mass of 22 to 45 kg, grow in length from 120 to 150 cm.

Sea otters play a very important role in ocean ecology by controlling the number of sea urchins. The uncontrolled reproduction of these invertebrates leads to the destruction of algae, which, in turn, has a cascading irreversible effect on the marine ecosystem.

Sea otters are predominantly diurnal, spending most of their time in the water. Currently, sea otters living in places difficult for humans, for example, on Medny Island, still spend the night on land 10-15 meters from the water, especially in stormy weather. When the sea is very rough, old or sick animals often come ashore, as they do not have enough strength to withstand the surf. In addition, female northern sea otters often give birth to cubs on land: on the shore or on coastal rocks. On the other hand, sea otters living in areas inhabited by humans, such as California sea otters, rarely come out of the water. The structure of the sea otter's body allows it to sleep freely in the water in the supine position, since the lungs of the animal are enlarged and can hold enough air so that the animal easily maintains buoyancy. Nevertheless, it is the aquatic environment that is the most natural and safe for the sea otter. Sea otters are more adapted for movement in water than on land, it is in the water that animals prefer to eat their food. In calm weather, sea otters swim up to 25 kilometers from the coast, during storms they prefer to stay in shallow water.

Sea otters are exceptionally friendly animals both towards each other and towards surrounding animals, except for those included in their diet. Sea otters quite calmly cohabit with fur seals, sea lions, seals, sometimes sharing beds with them. Fights between these animals are extremely rare. Confrontation occurs mainly between territorial males, but in most cases it is symbolic.

Sea otters sometimes live alone, but more often in small groups without signs of any hierarchical organization. Now scientists agree that such groups do not have clearly expressed leaders. Individual animals sometimes leave such groups, sometimes newcomers join the groups, and newcomers are met by other individuals good-naturedly, and not hostilely, as is the case with many other species of mammals. Such groups themselves, as a rule, are formed segregated and consist of either males, or single females, or females with cubs. No systematic pattern was found in the movement of such groups of sea otters. During the day, a group of sea otters swims in an area of ​​about 5.5 km 2, and individual individuals rarely swim more than 2 km per day. Sea otters do not have any seasonal migrations. Since female sea otters are less localized than territorial males, groups are not strictly constant in animal composition. The formation of groups occurs in the same places, the most convenient for recreation, usually in the most dense thickets of brown algae. Solitary male sea otters sometimes cover very considerable distances.

Sea otters are active, and in addition, they expend a lot of energy to maintain their body temperature (38 ° C), spending a lot of time in the water. In this regard, sea otters need to eat daily food in the amount of 20-25% of body weight. The metabolic rate of sea otters is 8 times higher than that of land mammals of similar size. Thus, sea otters eat often and a lot.

The diet of sea otters depends on the habitat, but always consists mainly of sea urchins, clams and crabs. Sea otters usually dive for prey in shallow water and collect prey from the bottom into a kind of pocket formed by a fold of the skin and located under the left front paw. (The same pocket is located under the right paw, but sea otters do not use it, since, according to observations, they are all right-handed). Having picked up several specimens, sea otters settle on their backs on the surface of the water and methodically take out one obtained specimen from their pocket, open or gnaw them, and then eat them. From time to time, at the same time, the sea otter turns over 360 ° in the water in order to clean the belly from leftovers, and the pocket is not emptied from this operation. This operation is important for keeping the fur clean on a regular basis.

The universal arrangement of the gastrointestinal tract of the sea otter allows it to eat a variety of foods. Indeed, in times of famine, sea otters are sometimes forced to hunt even coastal birds, and sometimes, according to the observations of hunters, eat the meat of dead animals, especially arctic foxes. Sea otters drink sea water, and in larger quantities than other marine animals, which may be due to their diet containing a large amount of protein.

Sea otters do not have pronounced mating seasons, so mating and the birth of cubs occur year-round. Some scientists note, however, a slightly higher frequency of mating in the spring in some habitats.

Male sea otters reach sexual maturity by 5-6 years (and retain the ability to reproduce until the end of their lives), females - usually by 4 years, less often by 2-3 years. Courtship usually takes place in sea otters very playfully and agile. The female and the male swim and dive one after another for a long time until the direct mating process begins. The mating itself always takes place in the water, but in different poses in different habitats, however, it is characteristic that the male necessarily holds the female by the nose with his teeth, and the mating ends with a rather painful bite. In this regard, females with mating experience have characteristic scars on their noses. Both during courtship and during mating, the male settles down in the water with his muzzle down, sometimes holding the female under water. In this regard, in rare cases, mating can be fatal for females. "Families" of sea otters are polygamous, that is, the male can simultaneously fertilize several females. The male stays with the female for 3-5 days and during this time protects her from competitors, however, confrontations between males almost never turn into fights, but are resolved at the stage of threatening postures.

Pregnancy in female sea otters occurs with a delay, the embryo first goes through a latent phase lasting 2-3 months, during which it does not attach to the wall of the uterus (about 100 different species of mammals have this feature; this allows the mother's body to choose the best metabolic period for the pregnancy itself). Pregnancy itself lasts about 6 more months (7-8 months for northern sea otters).

Childbirth in females of most subspecies occurs on coastal rocks or on land. In 99% of cases, one cub (bear) is born. In rare cases, twins are born, but under normal circumstances, only one cub can survive. Cubs are born brownish-yellow in color, weighing from 1.5 kg, covered with baby fluff. Adoptions of foreign cubs are common among sea otters, so the second cub of twins can survive if it is adopted by the female whose cub died.

Newborn sea otters are unable to survive on their own for several months and are completely dependent on their mother. Males do not participate in educational processes and abandon females a day or two after mating. All the first months of the life of the sea otter, the mother keeps it on her stomach, feeds, trains and combs it out, only occasionally leaving the baby on the rocks or on the water while she dives for food for herself. At these moments, the little sea otter squeaks in alarm, waiting for the mother to return. A newborn sea otter can independently float on the water in a position on its back, like a "float", but is not able to swim, get food for itself and does not know how to comb its hair. Sea otters are completely dependent on their mother for 5 to 15 months (on average 6 months), infant mortality is quite high: about 30% of the cubs die in the first year of life.

During the first month, the mother feeds the cub exclusively with her own milk, which is more similar in composition to the milk of other marine mammals than to the milk of other mustelids, and contains 23% fat, 13% protein and only 1% lactose. After that, she begins to gradually feed the baby with “adult food”. Gradually, the mother teaches the cub various ways of hunting, eating the “right” food, combing and other skills.