Small game - mammals

Black ferret (Mustela putorius)

The black ferret is an animal from the Ferret family. His fur is dark brown. Its muzzle is lighter in color and its belly is pale yellow. It has a long tail and short legs. It is bigger than the weasel but smaller than the otter. The male weighs about 1.7 kg, and the female - about 0.7 kg. The length of the body is from 21 to 56 cm, the tail - from 7 to 19 cm. The weight varies between 0.2 and 2.1 kilograms. Black ferrets live in farmyards, in woodlands and in marshy areas. In Bulgaria, locally throughout the country, more often in the eastern part, mostly in Dobruja; also in the Sofia valley. They are mainly active at night. They often build a home in the embankments along the streams or make a hole under the roots of trees. Their territory is limited to about 1 km². They are carnivores. They feed mainly on frogs and voles, but also on rats and other small prey. They also attack chickens, rabbits and other small domestic animals.