Marbled polecat: Funny looking! Never heard about it? Occurring in Europe?
Macin National Park
National Institute for Research in the Danube Delta
Despite its outstanding appearance, few people in Europe are aware of the presence of the marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna). The species, a member of the Mustelid family, lives in the Steppe region of Balkans. The colour of its fur has developed to serve as a means to deter predators. On being attacked, the marbled polecat does not flee; rather it exposes its side and stretches all extremities. This has a shocking effect on all kind of predators including dogs. The species avoids arable land and forests and its distribution is tightly connected with the occurrence of the European ground squirrel Spermophilus citellus and of the European hamster Cricetus cricetus. These rodents are believed to be crucial prey species for the marbled polecat.
The little knowledge we have of the species originates from studies in the Near East, and former Soviet Union where the species occurs naturally and from animals kept in zoos. In Europe there has been no attempt to determine where the species occurs. It is obviously rare and the distribution is highly fragmented due to its habitat and prey demands.
Project aims and objectives
The aim of this project is to search for the species in one habitat which is frequently quoted in literature as being typically used by the marbled polecat: the Dobrudja Mountains in south-eastern Romania near the Black Sea coast. Since there are no experts with field experience about surveys for the species in Europe, or else throughout its range, we are dependant on publications and recommendations from researchers in the Near East. Amongst the Mustelids, however, our own expertise covers the European polecat, the European and American mink as well as the Eurasian otter. We are currently studying the European mink in the Danube Delta and adjacent lagoons thus providing us with a network of institutions in the region of Dobrudja Mountains. These are interested to cast some light on the “forgotten” marbled polecat and to determine whether or not it is still living in the hinterland of the Danube Delta.
Our search for the species will comprise of field work including live trapping, track surveys and questionnaires amongst local people living in the habitat such as shepherds. We will carry out two expeditions to determine the existence in the area and to develop survey methods for ongoing projects.
Due to the dramatic changes in land use practices in Romania and Bulgaria since these countries entered the European Union, it is very likely that the marbled polecat is becoming under increasing pressure. It may well be that the species is already or will be in the near future on the brink of extinction in Europe. In this context our data, knowledge and experiences along with this detailed research project will be indispensable for conservation of the species and may form the basis for an action plan for its subsequent survival.
