Kath said:
I think they belong to the weasel or stoat family.
EDIT/
ahhh, google:
some pics & info...
http://www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk/mammal-polecat.htm
According to the above link, they're a native British species.
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I think they belong to the weasel or stoat family.
EDIT/
ahhh, google:
some pics & info...
http://www.cheshire-biodiversity.org.uk/mammal-polecat.htm
According to the above link, they're a native British species.
Martyn said:
And you know how to tell the difference between weasels and stoats, don't you Martyn?
Keith.
Raz said:
"Polecat" is used for skunks in southern U.S. (like "buffalo" for bison).
The true Polecat, Mustela putorius, a weasel-like critter, is native to northern Europe and mountains of northern Africa. Don't know if they are found in UK.
Pretty spooky tale. :shock:
Rollnick said:
Jake,
I read in the newspapers today that the same happened to frogs in Germany!
A free translation of the newspaper article (dutch) in english:
Berlin - German scientists still don't have a clue why the last weeks so many frogs exploded in a pond in Hamburg. They performed several tests on the water and the frogs limbs without any result.
The frogs swell enormously, untill their stomach can't stand it any longer and they explode. The animals suffer a few minutes before they die. Several scientific theories have proven to be false.
Very scary ... exploding frogs (toads in the original article) ...
Glad we aren't frogs ....
Don't we've got an amphibious expert in the BCUK house?
EDIT:
1) Must read more carefull the replies in future... missed Keith Beef's reply with link
2) Note that it's the same time of year (april 2004 versus 2005) ...
From the Guardian, almost exactly one year ago:
"When more than 100 frogs and toads were discovered with their hind legs ripped off on a Scottish estate it seemed a clear case of animal cruelty, prompting fears of a black market in the French delicacy.
A police investigation was launched and the public warned that eating the legs could make them sick. The mass mutilation was found at a pond on the Monymusk estate in Aberdeenshire.
But detective work by the local wildlife crime officer has found that the most likely culprit does have a taste for frogs' legs but cannot be prosecuted because it is an otter.
"Initially we were looking at a potential act of cruelty," said PC David MacKinnon of Grampian police.
"We thought maybe some kids had gone out there and were mucking about."
But as reports came in of other similar incidents at other ponds in the area which are known otter habitats, PC MacKinnon contacted experts who confirmed that otters were likely to have been responsible.
About 115 mature toads and frogs had been found by an estate worker in a pond on the Monymusk estate earlier in the week, some on the bank and some in the water.
All had their rear legs ripped off. "Apparently it is not uncommon for otters to remove the back legs of toads," said PC MacKinnon.
"Toads have poisonous glands in their skin so they will remove the leg to eat or will skin the toad. They can eat up to 1.5kg [3.3lb] a day," he said.
"It is a choice time of year for toads. They go to certain ponds for breeding.
"It is just opportunistic feeding by the otter. It is not overly common for these mass killings to happen. It would just be a feeding frenzy. They would gorge themselves.
"It is a natural thing," he added. "The otter is just going about its business."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1191319,00.html
maximus "no relation" otter
"When more than 100 frogs and toads were discovered with their hind legs ripped off on a Scottish estate it seemed a clear case of animal cruelty, prompting fears of a black market in the French delicacy.
A police investigation was launched and the public warned that eating the legs could make them sick. The mass mutilation was found at a pond on the Monymusk estate in Aberdeenshire.
But detective work by the local wildlife crime officer has found that the most likely culprit does have a taste for frogs' legs but cannot be prosecuted because it is an otter.
"Initially we were looking at a potential act of cruelty," said PC David MacKinnon of Grampian police.
"We thought maybe some kids had gone out there and were mucking about."
But as reports came in of other similar incidents at other ponds in the area which are known otter habitats, PC MacKinnon contacted experts who confirmed that otters were likely to have been responsible.
About 115 mature toads and frogs had been found by an estate worker in a pond on the Monymusk estate earlier in the week, some on the bank and some in the water.
All had their rear legs ripped off. "Apparently it is not uncommon for otters to remove the back legs of toads," said PC MacKinnon.
"Toads have poisonous glands in their skin so they will remove the leg to eat or will skin the toad. They can eat up to 1.5kg [3.3lb] a day," he said.
"It is a choice time of year for toads. They go to certain ponds for breeding.
"It is just opportunistic feeding by the otter. It is not overly common for these mass killings to happen. It would just be a feeding frenzy. They would gorge themselves.
"It is a natural thing," he added. "The otter is just going about its business."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1191319,00.html
maximus "no relation" otter
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