We didn’t forget otters last week — they’re definitely in Caniformia but don’t have “fin-feet.”
In fact, the crowded caniform family that includes but definitely is not limited to otters is awesome (and not just because it contains a wolverine!).
In addition to fishers, grisons, and true polecats, Dr. Wikipedia notes that:
…The smaller variants of the least weasel can be under 20 cm (8 in) in length, while the giant otter of Amazonian South America can measure up to 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) and sea otters can exceed 45 kg (99 lb) in weight.
Wolverines can crush bones as thick as the femur of a moose to get at the marrow, and have been seen attempting to drive bears away from their kills. The sea otter uses rocks to break open shellfish to eat. Martens are largely arboreal, while European badgers dig extensive tunnel networks, called setts. Only one mustelid has been domesticated; the ferret. Tayra are also kept as pets (although they require a Dangerous Wild Animals licence in the UK), or as working animals for hunting or vermin control. Others have been important in the fur trade — the mink is often raised for its fur.
Being one of the most species-rich families in the order Carnivora, the family Mustelidae also is one of the oldest. Mustelid-like forms first appeared about 40 million years ago (Mya), roughly coinciding with the appearance of rodents…
Yes, caniforms generally are older than feliforms, and some mustelids are so good at rodent catching that Pliny the Elder had a hard time convincing his fellow Romans to try using the new-fangled domestic cats from Egypt for pest control instead of their traditional ferrets!
This general video on the family mentions one or two other members:
Red List status: Varies by species.
Exceptional videos
With such a large group of cute but deadly animals, this post could easily turn into a book.
Instead, with plenty of online resources available, go ahead and explore the mustelid family yourself, using some of the links here for starters.
There are also some amazing videos out there, like:
Wolverine vs. wolverine:
Wolverine vs. two wolves:
Wolverine family care:
🐾🐾🐾
Stoat: (Predation scenes)
The stoat/weasel differences
🐾🐾🐾
Smart honey badger:
🐾🐾🐾
Sea otters: “Spy Otter” records them using rocks on shells!
🐾🐾🐾
Giant otters:
Otters 2, jaguars 0.
🐾🐾🐾
The Secret Life of the Pine Marten:
Feature-length documentary on the European pine marten:
Featured image: Bernd from Pixabay
Flight To Wonder 