by WERC | May 30, 2023 | Carnivores, Chris Anderson, Conservation, Extinction, Ferrets, Habitat, Mammals, North America
Black-footed ferrets are native animals to North America.1 They are part of the order Carnivora and the family Mustelidae.2 They weigh 1.5 to 2.5 pounds and are 18-24 inches long. They are considered endangered, with only several hundred left in the wild.3...
by WERC | May 23, 2023 | Africa, Carnivores, Chris Anderson, Mammals, Polecats
Striped Polecats are also known as Zorillas or Zorilles, and they can be found throughout Africa – from the east coast to the South.1 They are about 12-16 inches long, which doesn’t include their tail. Their tail will add another 8-12 inches.2 They look very similar...
by WERC | May 16, 2023 | Extinction, Habitat, Jeremy Heft, Mammals, Misunderstood Mesos, Olinguito, South America, Uncategorized
Hiding among the cloud-soaked forests of the Andes Mountains lives an elusive mesocarnivore that has evaded scientific discovery until recently. The olinguito was originally believed to be one of the species belonging to the olingo genus Bassaricyon. Although they...
by WERC | May 9, 2023 | Carnivores, Chris Anderson, European Polecats, Mammals
Have you heard of the European Polecat? These animals are part of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, stoats, skunks, martens, mink, and otters.1 They look a lot like ferrets, and it’s thought that the domestic ferret is a descendant of the European...
by WERC | May 2, 2023 | Chris Anderson, Conservation, Extinction, Hawksbill Sea Turtles, Reptiles, Turtles
Hawksbill Sea Turtles are about 24–45 inches long, weigh up to 150 pounds, and live to be about 50 years old.1 They get their name from the fact that their mouths have a similar shape to that of a hawk’s beak.2 You can find these turtles in tropical and subtropical...