The diet of wild E. polecats

[Deleted]

I have a whole bunch of studies on this topic and thought it might be interesting reading I'll post them one study per post.

[Deleted]

Feeding habits of two sympatric mustelid species, European polecat Mustela putorius and stone marten Martes foina, in the Czech Republic

Michaela Ryšavá-Nováková and Petr Koubek
Folia Zool. – 58(1): 66–75 (2009)

www.ivb.cz/folia/58/1/066-075_MS1401.pdf

Analysis of 49 polecat stomachs dissected between 2000 and 2006 in Southern Moravia, Czech Republic.

The diet was dominated by mammals (mainly Rodentia and Lagomorpha) and birds (Galliformes). Other minor components were fish, toads, beetles and earthworms.

Male polecats consumed more mammals (hares, rodents), invertebrates and plant material than females. Female fed significantly more on carrion and fish. In winter, males consumed more house mice (Mus musculus), pine voles, amphibians, and invertebrates than females, while females consumed more voles (Microtus arvalis) and carrion than males.




"]

[Deleted]

I hope the tables are readable and not too small...

[Deleted]

Diet of the European polecat and the steppe polecat
in Hungar

J. Lanszki and M. Helta
Mammalian Biology, 2006

thezone.hu/FTP/carnivora.thezone.hu/kozlemenyek/2007-MammalianBiology_72_p49-53.pdf

Animals were collected between 1999 and 2003 by live trapping. 44 polecats; winter 20, spring and summer 8, autumn 12, unknown 4. Analysis of stomach content and faeces collected from the rectum.

Table: Diet composition of European polecat and steppe polecat in Hungary. N=number of items in each taxa, %O=percentage relative frequency of occurrence. Prey weight (w) categories: 1=below 15 g; 2=15–50 g; 3=51–100 g; 4=101–300 g; 5=above 300 g). Prey zonation (z) categories: t=terrestrial, and terrestrial with occasional arboreal; a=arboreal, and arboreal with occasional terrestrial; w=aquatic and water-linked.

[Deleted]

Diet of free-ranging American mink and European polecat in Denmark

Mette Hammershoj, Erik A Thomsen, Aksel B Madsen
Acta Theriologica 49 (3): 337-347

www.springerlink.com/content/g38857um1k342327/

Stomach and intestinal contents of 47 polecats from Thy, Denmark:

87% amphibians, 34% mammals, 9% birds, 6% fish

[Deleted]

Diets of semi-aquatic carnivores in northern Belarus, with implications for population changes

V. Sidorovich, H. Kruuk, D. W. Macdonald, T. Maran

www.lutreola.ee/pdf/SymZoolSocLondon71_177_190.pdf

Faeces collected between April 1988 and May 1995.

All areas and seasons: 267 samples, 64.4% small mammals, 30% amphibians, 9% bird/reptiles, 1.9% fish, 07% crustaceans, 4.5% other

Fast-flowing streams: 53 samples, 64.2% small mammals, 34% amphibians, 3.8% fish, 0% crustaceans, 5.7% bird/reptiles, 3.8% other

Slow-flowing rivers: 156 samples, 75.7% small mammals, 20.6% amphibians, 0.6% fish, 0% crustaceans, 5.2% bird/reptiles, 3.2% other

Lakes: 58 samples, 55.2% small mammals, 31% amphibians, 3.4% fish, 3.4% crustaceans, 19% bird/reptiles, 6.9% other

Spring: 61 samples during 3 sampling periods, 34.4% small mammals, 60.7% amphibians, 1.6% fish, 0% crustaceans, 3.3% bird/reptiles, 9.8% other

Summer: 89 samples during 2 sampling periods, 61.8% small mammals, 28.1% amphibians, 2.2% fish, 2.2% crustaceans, 16.9% bird/reptiles, 4.5% other

Autumn: 53 samples during 1 sampling period, 64.2% small mammals, 34% amphibians, 3.8% fish, 0% crustaceans, 5.7% bird/reptiles, 3.8% other

Winter: 64 samples during 3 sampling periods, 96.9% small mammals, 0% amphibians, 0% fish, 0% crustaceans, 6.3% bird/reptiles, 0% other

Two of the most prominent prey species were bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) and common frog (Rana temporaria). Very few toads were taken despite their great abundance in the area.

[Deleted]

Diet composition and habitat use of sympatric polecat and American mink in western France

Thierry Lode, 1993, Acta theriol. 38: 161-166

Analysis of scats collected from a resident radiotracked male polecat between November 27, 1990 and April 9, 1991. The polecat exploited mainly woodland in autumn and winter, but marsh, ditches and ponds in spring.

Total, all seasons: mammals 82% (Norway rat 22.6%, vole 50.8%, muskrat 3.1%, rabbit 0.8%, shrew 5.5%),birds 0.8%, amphibians 14.1%, fish 0%, invertebrates 2.3%

Autumn: Norway rat 22.2%, vole 48.9%, muskrat 4.4%, rabbit 2.2%, shrew 6.7&, birds 0%, amphibians 13.3%, fish 0%, invertebrates 2.2%

Winter: norwayrat 30.2%, vole 54.7%, muskrat 3.8%, rabbit 0%, shrew 7.5%, birds 0%, amphibians 0%, fish 0%, invertebrates 3.8%

Spring: Norway rat 10%, vole 46.7%, muskrat 0%, rabbit 0%, shrew 0%, birds 3.3%, amphibians 40%, fish 0%, invertebrates 0%

Voles (Microtus arvalis, Microtus agretis, Clethrionomys glareolus) and Norway rats (rattus norvegicus) are the main mammal species. The main amphibian species is the agile frog (Rana dalmatina) but toads (Bufo bufo) are also eaten.

[Deleted]

Diet of the polecat Mustela putorius in riverine habitats (northern Italy)

Claudio Prigioni and Anna Maria de Marinis
Hystrix, vol 7, 1-2, 1995: 69-72

www.italian-journal-of- mammalogy.it/article/view/4054/3990

A total of 50 scats were collected from 1985 to 1988 in livetraps and along transects bordering the river banks. About 75% of faeces were found in winter/spring.

[Deleted]

The distribution and status of the Mustela Putorius in Britain in the 1990s

Birsk, J.D.S. and Kitchener, A.C. (1999), The Vincent Wildlife Trust, National Museums of Scotland

Polecats/feral ferrets.

“A study of english polecat diet was carried out through analysis of stomach contents. Rabbits dominated the diet, occurring in 72% of stomachs which contained prey, and compromising 85% of the bulk of prey remains. Other prey inevitably made minor contribution, with amphibians being the second most abundant category recorded."

[Deleted]

I'll post more studies later...

[Deleted]

Here's one about feral ferrets.

Diet of feral ferrets (Mustela furo) from pastoral habitats in Otago
and Southland, New Zealand

G. P. Smith; J. R. Ragg; H. Moller; K. A. Waldrup
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 1995, Vol. 22: 363-369

pdfserve.informaworld.com/468585__920519289.pdf

746 ferrets trapped or collected (including roadkills etc.) during 1993 and 1994.

[Deleted]

Another one with feral ferrets in the UK.

The diet of an invasive nonnative predator, the feral ferret Mustela furo, and implications for the conservation of ground-nesting birds

Thomas W. Bodey, Stuart Bearhop and Robbie A. McDonald
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
Volume 57, Number 1, 107-117

www.springerlink.com/content/l6q647561hjn4681/

" Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus occurred in 75% of scats, while birds, carrion, and brown rats Rattus norvegicus were important secondary items. There was little difference between the diets of males and females."

[Deleted]

More on the feral ferrets in New Zealand.

Intraspecific and seasonal differences in the diet of feral ferrets (Mustela putorius) in a pastoral habitat, East Otago, new Zealand


www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/free_issues/NZJEcol22_2_113.pdf

"Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were the most common prey of ferrets, occurring in 86.7% of scats, but birds (12.4%) and invertebrates (11.3%) were also frequently eaten. Female ferrets ate more non-lagomorph prey items, especially invertebrates and birds than males. No significant dietary differences were found between juvenile and adult ferrets except in summer when juveniles ate more lagomorph prey. There were seasonal differences in the consumption of rabbits, invertebrates, skinks, possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and small and large secondary prey items."

[Heather]

Thank you for posting these Marie, they're fascinating and might give some a few ideas about feeding natural (noting the incident of carrion eating...it not only stands to reason it also explains the perpetual stashing of our little ones )

ciao

[Deleted]

Polecats/feral ferrets in the UK eating a lot of invertebrates.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIET OF POLECATS/POLECAT-FERRETS MUSTELA PUTORIUS L., 1758 IN EVESHAM TOWN, WORCESTERSHIRE (SP04)

P. F. Whitehead
Worcestershire Record No. 22 April 2007 p. 14

wbrc.org.uk/worcrecd/Issue%2022/diet_of_polecats.htm