Mustelid

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European Polecat (Mustela putorius)
European Polecat (Mustela putorius)

Mustelids are a family of carnivorous mammals. They are the family Mustelidae, in the order Carnivora.

They are among the largest and oldest families, and contain a large diversity of animals, from weasels who eat mice to wolverines that can crush a reindeer. Mustelids can live in many places, otters for example, live mostly in the water, while one species of weasel lives in the arctic.

One kind of mustelid, the ferret, has been tamed and used for hunting for a long time. These days it is mostly kept as a pet, though. Because the ferret looks a bit like a rat that has been stretched out in the middle, it is sometimes called a tube rat.

Look up Mustelidae in Wikispecies, a directory of species


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