Mustelidae - badgers, otters, martens, weasels
There are 59 species in this family. They are found in all parts of the world, except
Australia and Antarctica. They are found in diverse habitats. Some species are found primarily on land, while others, like the otters, are found in freshwater and marine environments.
Most species have long, cylindrical bodies and short legs. Other species, like the wolverine and the badger, have broad, flat bodies and powerful front legs that they use for digging. All of the species in this family have scent glands that produce strong smelling musk. Most of the species in this family are carnivores.
World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.
US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game
Additional Information
Key: Profile Photos Video Audio
African Clawless Otter - Aonyx capensis
The African clawless otter has long fingers with rounded tips and no claws!
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
African Clawless Otter - Aonyx capensis
The African clawless otter is found from Senegal through most of West Africa to Ethiopia, and south to South Africa.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
African Striped Weasel - Poecilogale albinucha
The African striped weasel is found throughout Sub-Saharan Africa
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Altai Weasel - Mustela altaica
The Altai weasel is found in Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russian Federation, and Tajikistan.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Altai Weasel - Mustela altaica
The Altai weasel is also known as the mountain weasel.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
American Badger - Taxidea taxus
American badgers are not very graceful. They waddle when they walk!
Source: Canadian Museum of Nature Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
American Badger - Taxidea taxus
The American badger is found in the Great Plains region of North America.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
American Marten - Martes americana
The American marten is found in northern forests in Canada and the United States.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
American Marten - Martes americana
American martens are also known as pine martens
Source: Environmental Education for Kids Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
American Marten - Martes americana
American martens have semi-retractable claws to help them climb.
Source: Canadian Museum of Nature Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
American Marten - Martes americana
Martens are omnivores and eat insects, fruits, and seeds as well as birds and small-to-medium-sized mammals.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
American Marten - Martes americana
American martens have golden brown fur and a yellow chest.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
American Marten - Martes americana
American martens are found in the northern reaches of North America.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Searchable: Ye\
American Mink - Neovison vison
The American mink is found in most of Canada and the United States
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
American Mink - Neovison vison
The American mink preys on meadow voles and other small mammals, muskrats, fish, crayfish, frogs and insects.
Source: Canadian Museum of Nature Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
American Mink - Neovison vison
The American mink has soft brown to dark brown fur, a patch of creamy-white fur under its chin, a slender body, short legs, and a tail that is about a third the length of its body.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
American Mink - Neovison vison
The American mink is found along along streams, lakes, and marshes.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Asian Small-clawed Otter - Aonyx cinerea
The Asian small-clawed otter is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, India , Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Asian Small-clawed Otter - Aonyx cinerea
The Asian small-clawed otter uses its front paws to locate and capture prey, most otters use their mouths.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Asian Small-clawed Otter - Aonyx cinerea
These otters are the smallest of the world's 13 otter species.
Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
The black-footed ferret was once considered extinct in the wild. It is the most endangered mammal in North America. It was once found across the Great Plains in North America. Itt has been reintroduced to locations in South Dakota, Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, and Mexico.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
Learn more about what is being done to save the black-footed ferret.
Source: Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
The black-footed ferret has a tan body with black legs and feet, a black tip on the tail and a black mask.
Source: Defenders of Wildlife Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
The prairie dog makes up most of the black-footed ferret's diet. Without prairies dogs, the black-footed ferrets can't survive.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
Black-footed ferrets require prairie dog burrows for shelter.
Source: Arizona Fish and Game Department Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
The black-footed ferret is solitary, except during breeding season.
Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
Black-footed ferrets have sharp claws for digging.
Source: Exploring Nature Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
Male black-footed ferrets are larger than females.
Source: Canadian Museum of Nature Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
The black-footed ferret was once found throughout the eastern and southern Rockies and the Great Plains.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Black-footed Ferret - Mustela nigripes
The black-footed ferret is nocturnal.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Bornean Ferret Badger - Melogale everetti
The Bornean ferret badger is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Bornean Ferret-badger - Melogale everetti
The Bornean ferret badger is also known as Everett's ferret-badger or the Kinabalu ferret-badger. It is a little over a foot in length. It has a long, bushy tail, a long, pointed nose, and gray-brown fur with a creamy yellow mask on its face.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Congo Clawless Otter - Aonyx congicus
The Congo clawless otter is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Egyptian Weasel - Mustela subpalmata
The Egyptian weasel is found in Egypt.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Eurasian Badger - Meles meles
The Eurasian badger is found across Europe and Asia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Eurasian Badger - Meles meles
Earthworms are a large part of the Eurasian badger's diet.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Eurasian Badger - Meles meles
The Eurasian badger is nocturnal and has a black and white striped head, a stocky body, and strong front legs with long claws. .
Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Eurasian Otter - Lutra lutra
The Eurasian otter is found across much of Europe and Asia and in parts of northern Africa.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Eurasian Otter - Lutra lutra
The Eurasian otter is most active at dusk and during the night.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Eurasian Otter - Lutra lutra
The European otter is a playful and vocal animal!
Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
European Marbled Polecat - Vormela peregusna
The European marbled polecat is found in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
European Mink - Mustela lutreola
The European mink is one of the most endangered mammals in Europe.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
European Mink - Mustela lutreola
The European mink is found in areas of northeast Spain and France and throughout Europe to the Irtysh and Ob Rivers.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
European Pine Marten - Martes martes
The European pine marten is found from western Europe in the west to western Siberia in the east, from the northern edge of coniferous forest in the north to Asia Minor in the south.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
European Pine Marten - Martes martes
European pine martens are excellent climbers.
Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
European Pine Marten - Martes martes
The European pine marten has a long, cylindrical body, a long tail, and chocolate-brown fur with a creamy yellow chest.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
European Polecat - Mustela putorius
The European polecat is found across much of Europe, parts of western Asia, and northern Africa. It has been introduced to New Zealand.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
European Polecat - Mustela putorius
The European polecat has long, slender body, brown fur, and a creamy-yellow mask on its face.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
European Polecat - Mustela putorius
European polecats have long cylindrical bodies, with short legs, short blunt faces and small, rounded ears.
Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
European Polecat - Mustela putorius
This European polecat is the wild ancestor of the domestic ferret.
Source: St. Louis Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Fisher - Martes pennanti
The fisher is found in Canada and the United States.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Fisher - Martes pennanti
Fishers are among the few predators able to kill porcupines.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Fisher - Martes pennanti
The fisher is found from the Sierra Nevada of California to the Appalachians of West Virginia and Virginia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Giant Otter - Pteronura brasiliensis
The giant otter is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Giant Otter - Pteronura brasiliensis
The giant otter is found in rivers, lakes and creeks.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Giant Otter - Pteronura brasiliensis
Giant otters are picivorous. They eat only fish!
Source: Philadelphia Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Giant Otter - Pteronura brasiliensis
Giant otters spend more time on land than they do in the water.
Source: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Giant Otter Research - Pteronura brasiliensis
The giant otter is also known as the river wolf! It is the largest otter species and one of South America's top predators.
Source: Dr Nicole Duplaix Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Greater Grison - Galictis vittata
The greater grison is found from southern Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Hairy-nosed Otter - Lutra sumatrana
The hairy-nosed otter is found in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Hairy-Nosed Otter - Lutra sumatrana
The hairy-nosed otter is found in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Sumatra.
Source: Conservation International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Hairy-Nosed Otter - Lutra sumatrana
Read about Dara, the hairy-nosed otter, as he is released into his new home at the Phnom Tamau Wildlife Sanctuary in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Source: MSNBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Hairy-Nosed Otter - Lutra sumatrana
Here's more news about Dara's release into the wild.
Source: Science News Daily Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Hog Badger - Arctonyx collaris
The hog badger is found in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Hog Badger - Arctonyx collaris
The hog badger is found in forested areas and lowland jungles.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Honey Badger - Mellivora capensis
The honey badger is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of the Middle East, as well as in India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Honey Badger - Mellivora capensis
The honey badger has a dark brown fur with very light brown fur on its head and back.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Honey Badger - Mellivora capensis
The honey badger rodents, birds, lizards, insects, turtles, snakes, and of course, honey.
Source: Fort Wayne Children's Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Japanese Marten - Martes melampus
The Japanese marten is found on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in Japan.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Large-toothed Ferret Badger - Melogale personata
The large-toothed ferret badger is also known as the Burmese ferret badger. It is found in Nepal, north-eastern India, Myanmar, the southern most provinces of China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Least Weasel - Mustela nivalis
The least weasel is found across much of Europe, Asia and northern Africa and northern North America.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Least Weasel - Mustela nivalis
Most of the least weasel's diet is made up of small rodents.
Source: Animal Diversity Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Lesser Grison - Galictis cuja
The lesser grison is found across central and southern South America.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Long-tailed Weasel - Mustela frenata
Long-tailed weasels are solitary animals.
Source: Exploring Nature Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Long-tailed Weasel - Mustela frenata
The long-tailed weasel is found in from just north of the United States-Canadian border south to northern South America
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Marine Otter - Lontra felina
The marine otter is found in waters off the coasts of Argentina, Chile, and Peru.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Marine Otter - Lontra felina
Marine otters have long, slender bodies,
a flat head, and a shorter tail than most otters.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Neotropical Otter - Lontra longicaudis
The neotropical otter is found in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Neotropical River Otter - Lontra longicaudis
Fish make up most of the neotropical river otter's diet, but it also eats crustaceans, insects, amphibians, and small birds, mammals and reptiles.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Nilgiri Marten - Martes gwatkinsii
The Nilgiri marten is found in India.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
The North American otter is found in most of Canada and in much of the United States.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
River otters are found in rivers, lakes, and streams.
Source: National Geographic Kids Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters remain active in winter, using ice holes to surface and breathe.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters love to play. They slide down muddy and snowy hills, bounce objects on their paws, and play tag, and wrestle with each other.
Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters eat fish, crayfish, frogs, turtles, and aquatic invertebrates, and sometime a bird, rodent or rabbit!
Source: Oakland Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters use their sensitive whiskers to help locate food under water.
Source: Maryland Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
River otters are good swimmers and divers and can stay underwater for up to eight minutes.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters have webbed feet that help them swim.
Source: Oregon Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters have flexible spines that let them make quick turns in the water!
Source: Brookfield Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
River otters can swim up to seven miles an hour and dive to a depth of 60 feet.
Source: Prospect Park Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
Baby otters emerge from the den and begin to swim at two months of age. They leave their mother when they are a year old.
Source: San Francisco Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters live in dens underground.
Source: Brandywine Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
North American Otters are solitary, except during mating season and when raising young.
Source: Blank Park Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
River otters have 11 different vocalizations.
Source: Lincoln's Children's Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
North American Otter - Lontra canadensis
The North American otter can live in freshwater and coastal marine habitats, including rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps, and estuaries.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Patagonian Weasel - Lyncodon patagonicus
The Patagonian weasel is found in southern and western parts of Argentina into Chile.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Sable - Martes zibellina
The sable is found throughout northern Asia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
The sea otter is found in Canada, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and the United States.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
The sea otter is the largest member of the Mustelidae family.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
Sea otters live in loose-knit groups called rafts.
Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
The sea otter spends most of its time in the water.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
Sea otters can grow to be 6 feet long, but average 3 to 5 feet.
Source: Oregon Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
Sea otters eat sea urchins, fish, clams, snails, worms, sea stars, crabs, squid, octopus, and abalone.
Source: Minnesota Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
Sea otters use rocks to pound open hard-shelled prey.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
An adult sea otter may eat as much as 20 pounds of food each day!
Source: Sea World Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
The sea otter is the largest member of the weasel family, but one of the smallest marine mammals!
Source: Defenders of Wildlife Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris
The sea otter is found from the coast of California through Alaska and along the eastern coast of Russia to northern Japan.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
Short-tailed Weasel - Mustela erminea
The short-tailed weasel is also known as the stoat or ermine.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Short-tailed Weasel- Mustela erminea
If it is cold enough, the short-tailed weasel's coat turns white in the winter!
Source: Ohio Department of Natural resources Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Short-tailed Weasel- Mustela erminea
Short-tailed weasels care found in the northern temperate regions of Eurasia and North America.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Short-tailed Weasel - Mustela erminea
Short-tailed weasels can be very aggressive if they are threatened.
Source: Canadian Museum of Nature Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Short-tailed Weasel- Mustela erminea
Short-tailed weasels are good swimmers and climbers.
Source: Exploring Nature Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Short-tailed Weasel- Mustela erminea
Female short-tailed weasels teach their young to hunt.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Short-tailed Weasel- Mustela erminea
The short-tailed weasel has a black tipped tail that will stay black, even if the short-tailed weasel develops a white winter coat.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
Siberian Weasel - Mustela sibirica
The Siberian weasel is found in Bhutan, China, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Taiwan,Thailand, and Vietnam.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Siberian Weasel - Mustela sibirica
The Siberian weasel is pale brown on its back and a paler, yellowish brown on its undersides.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Small-toothed Ferret-badger - Melogale moschata
The small-toothed ferret badger is also known as the Chinese ferret badger. It is found from Assam to central China and northern Indochina, as well as in Taiwan, and Hainar.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Smooth-coated Otter - Lutrogale perspicillata
The smooth-coated otter is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Smooth-coated Otter - Lutrogale perspicillata
Smooth-coated otters live in family groups.
Source: Conserve Nature Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Smooth-coated Otter - Lutrogale perspicillata
The smooth-coated otter is the largest otter in Asia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Southern River Otter - Lontra provocax
The southern river otter is found in Argentina and Chile.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Southern River Otter - Lontra provocax
Southern river otters are only found in central and southern Chile and parts of Argentina.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Spotted-necked Otter - Lutra maculicollis
The spotted-necked otter is found in central Africa.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Spotted-necked Otter - Lutra maculicollis
The spotted-necked otter has brown and white spots on its throat and underside.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Spotted Necked Otter - Lutra maculicollis
Spotted necked otters are solitary animals.
Source: Phoenix Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Striped Polecat - Mustela eversmanii
Striped polecats look like skunks and are found throughout the African continent.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Stone Marten - Martes foina
The stone marten is also known as the beech marten and the house marten. It is found throughout much of Europe and central Asia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Tayra - Eira barbara
The tayra is found in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Tayra - Eira barbara
Tayra are found in tropical deciduous and evergreen forests.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Tayra - Eira barbara
The tayra is a large marten species. It has a long, cylindrical body, a broad head, a short, pointed muzzle, rounded ears, and a long tail.
Source: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Wolverine - Gulo gulo
The wolverine is found in Canada, China, Estonia, Finland, Mongolia, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Wolverine - Gulo gulo
The wolverine has powerful jaws and large teeth.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Wolverine - Gulo gulo
Wolverines are scavengers and predators. They eat medium-sized mammals such as squirrels, hares, skunks, and foxes. They also eat carrion.
Source: Minnesota Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Wolverine - Gulo gulo
The wolverine is found in forests, mountains, plains, brushlands, and the tundra.
Source: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Wolverine - Gulo gulo
Wolverines are solitary animals.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Wolverine - Gulo gulo
The wolverine is also known as the skunk bear or glutton.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
Yellow-bellied Weasel - Mustela kathiah
The yellow-bellied weasel is found from northern Pakistan to southeast China, and throughout southeast Asia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School
Zorilla - Ictonyx striatus
The zorilla is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
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