Black Footed Ferret

The black-footed ferret was probably never abundant. Nonetheless, it used to be found across a broad swathe of the American short grass prairies, from Texas to beyond the Canadian border. It commonly made its home in prairie dog colonies (called towns), taking over part of the tunnel system for its own use as predator in residence. The prairie dogs (burrowing rodents of the squirrel family) made up over 90 percent of the ferret’s diet. A single ferret could survive on what it could catch in even quite a small town, but mothers raising families normally took up residence in larger colonies. Mice and other small prey caught outside the burrow at night added to the ferret’s prairie dog diet. Black-footed [Read more]

Pine Marten

Martes marten

The pine marten is a tree-dwelling member of the weasel family. Pine martens have been hunted heavily for their fur. They were also killed as a result of gamekeepers’ efforts to eliminate predators. In the 19th century culling by gamekeepers eliminated the pine marten from many parts of its range. Today the animal is more widely tolerated, and numbers are rising. The pine marten is a cat-sized member of the weasel family. Its shape and size vary considerably across its range. The largest specimens are found in Denmark [Read more]

Spectacled Bear

Spectacled bears are the largest carnivores in South America, though meat only accounts for 5 percent of their diet. Despite their bulk, they can climb trees with ease. It is easy to understand how the spectacled bear got its name: The whitish rings round its eyes are very distinctive. It is the largest member of the Carnivora in South America and is a direct descendant of the bulldog bear, which 10,000 years ago was the largest predator in the Americas. The spectacled bear is a powerful animal, and there are records of individuals killing and eating cattle. However, they feed mainly on fruit and other vegetable materials. Meat rarely amounts to more than 5 percent of the diet and is mostly in the form of [Read more]

Ursus maritimus

Polar Bear

The polar bear i’s the largest carnivore on land. It may cover a range of over 100, 000 square miles (260,000 sq. km) in its lifetime. The polar bear is instantly recognizable by its white coat and huge bulk. Today the population is relatively stable. This magnificent creature is the world’s largest land-dwelling carnivore and evolved from the same common ancestor as the brown bear. The most striking feature of a polar bear is undoubtedly its thick coat. The hairs are virtually colorless; they lack any pigment, but tiny bubbles within [Read more]

Thylacine

Thylacinus cynocephalus

The thylacine was a large animal with bold strides. The photograph (top) shows the last thylacine in captivity, which died in 1936. No specimens, alive or freshly dead, have been obtained since then, but reported sightings are investigated seriously. The thylacine-a marsupial-was once prevalent across Australia and Tasmania. Today it seems that domestic dogs and other introduced animals have outcompeted the species. It was also persecuted by farmers and is now probably extinct, although there are continued reports [Read more]

Wildcat – Felis silvestris

Felis silvestris

Like many predators, the wildcat has suffered extensive persecution. Today the major threat to its survival is genetic dilution of the species as it increasingly interbreeds with domestic cats. The wildcat looks like a domestic tabby, but is larger and has more distinct body stripes and a blunt end to the tail. The wildcat is a solitary and secretive animal found mainly in forested areas across continental Europe and in Scotland. Its range also extends east to the Caspian Sea, an inland salt lake that lies between Europe and Asia. [Read more]

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