Stoat, Weasel, Marten and Polecats

A definitive account to the assasins of the British countryside.Seven species of Mustelid now live in the British Isles. The weasel, stoat, polecat, pine marten, otter and badger are native to Great Britain. Feral American mink are not native but are a recent addition to the assemblage, following escapes and releases from fur farms. Ireland lacks the weasel and the polecat Apart from the badger and otter, the native British and Irish mustelids are small or medium-sized and, by convention, referred to collectively as the -small mustelids-. All belong to the genus Mustela (stoat, weasel and polecat) or Martes (pine marten). They are characterized by their tubular body shape, which enables them to follow their prey down small tunnels and burrows. However, because of this similarity in body shape, they can be difficult to distinguish from each other. This is particularly true when, as is usually the case, you catch only a fleeting glimpse of one in poor light.This new volume in the highly-