Springwatch 16 - Polecats making a big comeback

Reason I'm watching this, I actually saw a polcat this morning. Was great to see 😀

Fishers have often been referred to as polecats here in Canada. They are like pine martins on steroids. They are not to be underestimated. Their cries are blood curdling.

Look at that face of theirs!!! They are so cute!!!

I've seen a Polecat 2023 in my gardens in Seaford East Sussex. I used to keep Ferrets and know the difference. I've seen it running up and down my lawns playing in the sun, doing backflips and behaving like the Ferret. The 'bandit' markings on its face give it away, plus I think it lives in one of the flint walls around the house. I've seen it quite often and it does sterling service in eliminating rats which hang around my numerous bird feeders. I love it living here.

I'd think most people would mistake them for ferrets 'cause they are basically the same species.

I am no expert. But today I gave a small teaching how to recognize these animals. It's the same problem here in the Netherlands. People don't know how or what exactly it is. They can be very/ extremely shy. But if you have seen them (just like me) you are so much luck. I have also seen a stoat and an otter crossing my path. Otter is bigger and the one I saw, wasn't that shy. If you see one... enjoy the moment. Be still and very qiuet. People have to know they are a fine pest control. And to save your chicken or rabbit... invest a bit of money for a better fence/ protection.

I bloody saw a dead one this morning actually stopped because I thought it was a ferret and someone’s pet. Was so surprised when I realised it was a polecat gutted it wasn’t alive tho, I live in Worcestershire

A ferret is a domesticed polecat

Got one that's been living under my shed I'm in Surrey so it maybe it's an escapee, solved my rat problem tho

Got two myself. I love my furry ferrets.

lovely fuzzies

If it's bigger, it could also be a marten.

There in Cheshire too. I saw one as a kid on a country lane on the way back from school

I've always adopted European polecats

I had a polecat as a pet, bought him off a farmer. I weaned him off raw mince and fed him high quality biscuits and cooked meat. I know that some people would feed them fuzzies and pinkies, but I chose not to. He had a lovely temperament. Ferrets are domesticated from polecats.

Common in barnsely as hunting pets for rabbit's in the 70s 80s

The speed that the wild population is now spreading is incredible. I saw a roadkill polecat this summer just outside llangollen....no big surprise there really. However I have now seen four roadkill polecats on the m53 in Wirral between clatterbrige and Hooton, still amazed they are now wild in wirral area. Anybody else seen them close to built up areas?

THINK SAUSAGE

Just saw one in Twickenham, London!!

I wonder if they could mate with mink or pine martin. I also wonder what their athletic ability compared to mink.