Haida Ermine

We just learned about the Ferret.

Another animal in the same family is the Haida Ermine, also called mustela haidarum.

This small animal only lives on a tiny island on the west side of Canada called Haida Gwaii.

It changes its fur color from brown in the summer to white in the winter.
When it is brown the local Haida people call it daayáats’, and when it is white they call it tlag.


(from: wikipedia - haida ermine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cotton Top Tamarin

Ferret

We just learned about the Yellow Bellied Weasel.

Another kind of animal in the same family is the Ferret, also called the Mustela furo.

These animals grow to be about 20 inches long, and weigh about 4 pounds.
Their fur comes in either black, brown or white.

Just like dogs and cats, these animals are called domesticated meaning they can be kept as pets.
Long ago people kept them as pets to help out with hunting, for other animals like rabbits.

Sometimes when these pets are playing they get excited and jump around in what is called the "weasel war dance".
People think that they did this in the wild to confuse or scare other animals, but as pets they do it when they are having fun.



(from: wikipedia - ferret)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Common Marmoset

Yellow-Bellied Weasel

We just learned about the European Mink.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Yellow-Bellied Weasel.

This animal is about 10 inches long, and weighs about 3 pounds.

They get their name from their bright yellow bellies.
Usually they live up in the mountains in Asia, in small little caves called dens.


(from: wikipedia - yellow-bellied weasel)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Proboscis Monkey

European Mink

We just learned about the European Polecat.

Another type of animal in the same family is the European Mink.

This animal is about 15 inches, and weighs about 1.5 pounds.

They are small good little hunters that swim really well and live in small caves.


(from: wikipedia - european mink)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Golden Snub Nosed Monkey

European Polecat

We just learned about the Stoat.

Another animal in the same family is the European Polecat.

This is a small animal about 400 milimeters long, weighing about 1,200 grams.
They have brown and black fur, and usually a white face.

Some people in Europe have been able to keep polecats as pets, and even teach them how to hunt things like rats.
Long ago polecats were hunted a lot for their fur, and there are many made up stories about polecats having powers to paralyze someone with just a bite to the neck!


(from: wikipedia - european polecat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Red-Shanked Douc

Stoat

We just learned about the Giant Otter.

Another kind of animal in the same family is the Stoat, also called the short-tailed weasel, or mustela erminea.

This animal is small, and grows to about 300 milimeteres and weighs about 250 grams.

In some of the colder northern areas, the stoats will change from brown fur coats in the summer to white coats in the winter.

In many countries there are legends about stoats being spirit animals, lucky animals, or poisonous.



(from: wikipedia - stoat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Maroon Leaf Monkey

Giant Otter

We just learned about the Smooth Coated Otter.

Another kind of animal in the same family is the Giant Otter, also called the water jaguar, river wolf, water dog, or pteronura brasiliensis.

Just like you would think from the name, this is the biggest kind of Otter in the world, growing to over 5 feet long and weighing over 60 pounds!
These animals live in South America, mostly right along the Amazon river.

Because they are so big, they will sometimes even be able to hunt things like snakes, turtles, camains (which are like small crocodiles) and even very dangerous fish like pirhanas!
With webbed feet and a tail so big it almost looks like a wing flapping in the water, they are great swimmers!

(from: wikipedia - giant otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Dusky Leaf Monkey

Smooth-Coated Otter

We just learned about the Spotted Necked Otter.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Smooth-Coated Otter, or lutrogale perspicillata.

These otters live in Asia, in countries like India.
They grow to be about 60 centimeters long and weigh about 10 kilograms.
Their fur is brown or grey, and it is short and smooth.

Just like other otters these animals love the water, but they can live anywhere from a river to a lake or a swamp.
They make their houses under tree roots or big rocks, and they sometimes will rest on the beach by the river to take a nap.

Smooth-Coated Otters are very good hunters, and they know how to chase and catch fish.
Some people have now trained otters to help them catch fish, by sending the otters in the water to chase fish right into a net to be caught.



(from: wikipedia - smooth-coated otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Northern Plains Gray Langur

Spotted-Necked Otter

We just learned about the Eurasian Otter.

Another animal in the same family is the Spotted-Necked Otter, also called the speckle-throated otter or hydrictis maculicollis.

This otter is a lot like the ones from North America or Europe, but it lives on the continent of Africa.
It grows to be about 75 centimeters long, weighting about 6 kilograms, and has white spots on its neck.

Spotted-Necked Otters live in countries like Zambia where they can hunt for fish and other animals in the lakes and rivers of Africa.


(from: wikipedia - spotted neck otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Zanzibar Red Colobus

Eurasian Otter

We just learned about the North American River Otter.

Another animal in the same family is the Eurasian Otter, also called the european otter, eurasian river otter, common otter, old world otter, or lutra lutra.

These animals live in parts of Europe, Asia and Africa and are the most common type of otter in the world.
They grow to about 40 centimeters long and weigh about 10 kilograms.

Just like the North American river otter, these animals live in lakes, rivers and ponds.
Unlike a lot of the other otters, these animals usually live alone, except for when mothers are raising baby otters.


(from: wikipedia - eurasian otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mantled Guereza

North American River Otter

We just learned about the Sea Otter.

Another type of animal in the same family is the North American River Otter, or lontra canadensis.

This otter is a lot like the sea otter, and a lot of people think they are the same animal.
But the sea otter lives in the saltwater of the ocean, and sometimes lives their whole life in the water.
The river otter lives in the rivers and lakes of the northern parts of the United States and Canada.

They love the water and can swim all day, but they also have a home on land called a den where they raise their little baby otters.
River otters grow to be about 100 centimeters long, and weigh about 10 kilograms.
Their fur is short and very thick to keep them warm.
Just like the sea otter they can close their ears and noses to keep water out.


(from: wikipedia - north american river otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mandrill

Sea Otter

We just learned about the Asian Small-Clawed Otter.

Another animal in the same family is the Sea Otter, also called Enhydra lutris.

Just like you would think from their name, these otters spend most of their lives living in the sea.
They are able to go walk on land, but they are so good in the water they can just live there without ever going on land, even for sleeping!

Sea Otters live in the cold waters of the northern Pacific Ocean.
They are about 1 meter long, weigh about 30 kilograms, and are the heaviest of any of the animals in the weasel family.
They eat a lot of things like clams that they need to break open, so they have learned to take rocks and smash them on the shells to break them.

Most of the animals that spend time in the cold ocean waters have thick fat called blubber in their body, but these animals just have the thickest fur of any animal in the world, and that helps keep them warm.
Sea Otters can close up their noses and ears to keep water from getting in while they are swimming around.
Even when they are not swimming they can float, and sometimes they will snuggle up together with bunches of other otters and that is called a "raft" of otters!
They can hold their breath for five minutes, and sometimes to keep from floating away they will wrap themselves in kelp.



(from: wikipedia - sea otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Collared Mangabey

Asian Small-Clawed Otter

We just learned about the Marbled Polecat.

Another animal in the same family is the Asian Small-Clawed Otter.

These otters are the smallest type of otter in the world, growing only to about 80 centimeters long, and weighing about 3 kilograms.
Just like you would think from their name, they have very short clas that don't go past their webbed feet.

These little animals live in south Asia, and unlike some other otters they love to hang out with their other otter friends and will sometimes live with 20 other otters!
They are pretty smart too, and they know that if they catch a crab they can lay it out in the sun for the shell to dry out so they can crack it easier.


(from: wikipedia - asian small-clawed otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Gelada

Marbled Polecat

We just learned about the Greater Grison.

Another animal in the same family is the Marbled Polecat, also called Vormela Peregusna.

These animals look a little funny.
They have a black and white face sort of like a badger, but their body is a brown, orange or yellow with black spots on it.
Marbled Polecats grow to be about 30 centimeters long, and weigh about 500 grams.

Sometimes when these little animals get scared they can let out a very stinky smell to tell predators to stay away!
Sort of like a skunk, but they don't spray it up into the air.


(from: wikipedia - marbled polecat)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Olive Baboon

Greater Grison

We just learned about the Fisher.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Greater Grison.

These small animals grow to be about 60 centimeters, and weigh about 4 kilograms.
They are mostly black on the bottom and grey or white on top.

One funny thing about these animals is that when they are hunting they won't just run straight at their prey.
They will run in a zig zag pattern, then start grunting, then do a loud screech before jumping on their meal.


(from: wikipedia - greater grison)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Uganda Mangabey

Fisher

We just learned about the American Marten.

Another kind of animal in the same family is the Fisher, also called the pekan, wejak, or pekani pennanti.

The Fisher grows to be about 3 feet long and weigh about 10 pounds.
They have mostly brown fur all over their body.
Even though their name is fisher, these animals mostly hunt on the ground.
They are one of the few animals that will attack a porcupine!


(from: wikipedia - fisher (animal))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lion Tailed Macaque

American Marten

We just learned about the Wolverine.

Another type of animal in the same family is the American Marten.

These small fuzzy animals are about 2 feet long and weigh about 3 pounds.
They have dark brown fur and a a yellow orange neck.

Even though these animals are small, they are great hunters and will go after other animals like mice, squirrels and bugs.
In the winter time they will dig under the snow in tunnels to hunt other animals!

Sometimes when martens get cold in the winter they will make tunnels in the snow going down to tree roots to make themselves a little snow house almost like an igloo to keep warm.


(from: wikipedia - american marten)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: L'Hoest's Monkey

Wolverine

We just learned about the Tayra.

Another type of animal in the weasel family is the Wolverine, also called gulo, glutton, carcajou or quickhatch.

The wolverine is the largest type of weasel, weighing around 50 pounds and growing over 3 feet long.
They have mostly brown fur, and sometimes have a white stripe that goes from their shoulders, along their sides and then to their tail.
In the winter these animals don't get icy frost on their fur because it is oily so snow and water don't stick to it.

Wolverines might be only the size of a dog, but they aren't afraid of a fight!
They have been seen even trying to fight off a bear over a meal of theirs, and they have been known to attack humans if they get too close.

The state of Michigan is called the "Wolverine State" because the people there like the idea of being tough and ready to fight if they have to.
In comic books, one of the super heroes is named Wolverine because is also super tough and always ready for a fight.


(from: wikipedia - wolverine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: De Brazza's Monkey

Tayra

We just learned about the Chinese Ferret Badger.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Tayra, also called the tolomuco, perico ligero, motete, irara, san hol, viejo de monte, high-woods dog, or eira barbara.

These animals grow to be about 65 centimeters long, and weigh about 5 kilograms.
They have dark brown or black fur, a yellow orange spot on their chest, and their head is usually a lighter color.
On their feet they have very long toes and sharp claws that they use to climb into the trees where they make their homes.

Some people keep these animals as pets, because they like to eat bugs and other small animals that might be pests.

In the wild the Tayra has been seen taking plantains which are like bananas, and putting them out in the sun to ripen so they can eat them.


(from: wikipedia - tayra)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Green Monkey

Chinese Ferret-Badger

We just learned about the European Badger.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Chinese Ferret-Badger, also called the small-toothed ferret-badger or Melogale moschata.

This animal lives mostly in India and China, and grows to be about 40 centimeters long and weigh around 2 kilograms. Just like other badgers they have a face mask, and strong sharp claws, but they have a fuzzy tail.

These badgers are usually calm and quiet around humans and will sometimes live in wood or rock piles near houses, but if they get scared or feel threatened they will let out a very bad smell, almost like a skunk!


(from: wikipedia - chinese ferret-badger)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Patas Monkey