Long-tailed Weasel

Long-tailed weasels, Mustela frenata, are part of the mustelidae family; badgers, martens, minks, otters, and wolverines. The long-tailed weasel is limited to the Americas; its range extends from Southern Canada to Northern South America. A close relative, the short-tailed weasel shares the American range, but can also be found in Northern Europe and Asia. The weasels living in the extreme northern areas of their range or in higher altitudes go through a moulting cycle to prepare for the winter season. Their summer coats become denser and the upperside changes from a reddish-brown to white coloring with a noticeable yellowish tint. Only the tip of the tail retains the dark color during the winter months. The moulting process begins in autumn and is triggered by the shorter daylight hours as opposed to a drop in temperature.

Honey Badger - Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia occupies over 80% of the Arabian Peninsula and ranks as the 13th largest country in the world, but there are no permanent rivers in the country. A wadi, an Arab term meaning valley or riverbed, will form after heavy rainfall, but they do not last long. The water either sinks into the ground or evaporates.

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Mellivora capensis - The honey badger is more closely related to the weasel than to the badger. The honey badger is known for its aggression, strength, and stamina. When confronted, it will fight any intruder regardless of size. Honey badgers are solitary animals, but they do travel in pairs during the mating season. Honey is their preferred food, but they have the least specialized diet of the mustelidae family; the family includes otters, weasels, and wolverines. Honey badgers will eat almost anything crossing their path.

European Pine Marten - Montenegro

The Durmitor National Park was created in 1952 and is located in Northwestern Montenegro. It includes the Durmitor Massif and the canyons formed by the Tara, Sušica, and Draga Rivers. The area is approximately 390 square kilometers. The Tara Canyon is 1,300 meters deep, the second deepest gorge in the world.

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Martes martes - European and Asian wooded areas with scrub covered fields are ideal habitats for the European pine marten. It is the only member of the Mustelid family with semi-retractable claws. This feature allows the pine marten to extend its forging range to include trees. The pine marten’s diet is varied and  consists of rodents, frogs, birds, and insects. They will also eat carrion, berries, nuts, and honey when available. Pine martens living near water have been known to eat crabs and barnacles.

European Badger - Serbia

Serbian is the only European language classified as digraphia, a term describing a language actively uses two scripted alphabets. Serbian can be written in the Latin alphabet and the Cyrillic script. The use of the Latin alphabet began about 50 years ago and most Serbians can easily read and write both scripts.

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Meles meles - European badgers construct and maintain a complex systems of burrows. Their dens, called setts, are extensive, clean, and used for decades as they are passed to succeeding generations. A typical sett will house several families and have multiply openings with each family having its own entries and sleeping quarters within the communal system. The sleeping areas are lined with material made of dried moss, grass, and leaves. Large setts are known to have 300 meters of tunnels and enough room to shelter 15 animals.

European Otter - Slovakia

There are three known aragonite caves; Molina de Aragón in Spain, Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico, and the Ochtinská Aragonite Cave, located near the town of Rožnava, in Southern Slovakia.  Aragonite, a rare carbonate mineral, forms as inorganic precipitates in specially controlled cave environments.

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Lutra lutra - The European otter has the typical long and slender shape of those animal species belonging to the mustelid family. The slender body, webbed toes, and powerful tail serving as a rudder, makes the otter an ideal aquatic animal. The otter feeds primarily on fish, but will take on insects, small crustaceans, and amphibians as well as birds and their eggs. They are solitary animals and defend their territories vigorously. Otters rely more on their keen sense of sight rather than smell in detecting prey animals or predators.