World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/opossum): Virginia Opossum — wildlife guide.

## Are opossums dangerous to humans or pets?
Opossums are generally harmless and prefer to avoid confrontation. When cornered they may hiss, bare their teeth, drool or faint, but they rarely bite and are not aggressive. They very seldom carry rabies, partly because of their low body temperature, so disease risk is low. They can defend themselves if grabbed, so it is best to give any opossum space and never handle a wild one.

## Do opossums really eat thousands of ticks?
Opossums do eat ticks they pick up while grooming their fur, and this can help reduce ticks in an area. However, widely repeated claims that a single opossum eliminates thousands of ticks per week come from one small study and are likely overstated. The honest picture is that opossums are tidy groomers that consume some ticks, making them modestly helpful neighbours rather than miracle tick-vacuums.

## What is the difference between an opossum and a possum?
In North America "possum" is just a casual shortening of "opossum", so both usually mean the Virginia opossum. Strictly, true possums are a separate group of marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands and are only distantly related. So an American "possum" is an opossum, while an Australian possum is a different animal entirely — the names overlap but the species do not.

## Where do opossums live and what habitat do they prefer?
Virginia opossums range from Central America through Mexico and across much of the United States into southern Canada, and their range has been spreading northward. They are highly adaptable and live in woodlands, farmland, scrub, wetlands and increasingly in towns, suburbs and gardens. They favour areas near water with plenty of cover, and shelter in tree hollows, burrows dug by other animals, brush piles, sheds and other quiet, sheltered spots.

## How long do opossums live?
Virginia opossums live fast and die young. In the wild they typically survive only about one to two years, facing heavy losses from vehicles, predators such as owls and foxes, dogs and harsh winter cold that can frostbite their ears and tail. In captivity, free of these dangers, they may reach around four years. Their short lifespan is offset by breeding early and producing large litters.

## Why do opossums hang by their tails?
Opossums have a prehensile tail that can grip and coil around branches, helping them balance and climb. Young opossums can briefly hang from their tails, which is the source of the popular image, but adults are too heavy to dangle for long and use the tail mainly as a stabilising fifth limb and to carry bundles of nesting material. So the classic upside-down hanging pose is more a brief young-animal feat than an everyday adult habit.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/groundhog): Groundhog — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A groundhog (Marmota monax) is a large North American ground squirrel, or marmot, in the squirrel family. A stout, powerful burrower and true hibernator weighing up to about 6 kilograms, it lives across the eastern United States and Canada and is famous for Groundhog Day.

## Introduction
The groundhog (Marmota monax), also called the woodchuck or whistle-pig, is a large ground squirrel native to North America. Despite its earthbound, burrowing life, it belongs to the marmot group within the squirrel family, Sciuridae. Groundhogs are stout, short-legged rodents built for digging, and they are among the few true hibernators in the rodent world, sleeping away the coldest months in deep underground dens. Widespread across the eastern United States, much of Canada and into Alaska, the groundhog is a familiar sight in meadows, field edges and gardens. It is best known worldwide as the animal at the heart of the Groundhog Day weather tradition, held each 2 February.

## Takeaway
The groundhog is a marmot, a large ground-dwelling squirrel, not a separate kind of animal from woodchucks; the two names refer to the same species.

## Takeaway
It is a true hibernator, dropping its body temperature to near freezing and its heart rate to a handful of beats per minute through winter.

## Takeaway
Powerful claws and stocky limbs make it an expert digger, moving large volumes of soil to build multi-entrance burrows.

## Takeaway
Groundhogs are almost entirely herbivorous, eating grasses and garden plants and fattening rapidly before winter.

## Takeaway
The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, common and widespread across North America.

## Takeaway
Each 2 February, a groundhog stars in the Groundhog Day folk tradition predicting the arrival of spring.

## What is a groundhog and where does it live?
The groundhog is one of around fifteen marmot species and the only one widely adapted to lowland life rather than mountains. Stocky and powerfully built, an adult measures roughly 42 to 69 centimetres in body length with a short, bushy tail, and weighs between about 2 and 6 kilograms, with the heaviest individuals reaching peak mass just before winter. Its coarse fur is typically grizzled brown, and short, strong limbs end in curved claws suited to digging. Groundhogs range across eastern North America, from the eastern and central United States through much of Canada and into Alaska. They favour open and edge habitats: meadows, pastures, woodland margins, hedgerows, road verges and increasingly suburban gardens and parks. This adaptability to human-altered landscapes is one reason the species remains so common. Each groundhog centres its life on a burrow system, rarely straying far from a den entrance, and will rear up on its hind legs to scan for danger, whistling a sharp alarm call that earns it the nickname whistle-pig.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/groundhog): Groundhog — wildlife guide.

## How do groundhogs hibernate?
Groundhogs are among the few mammals that are true, deep hibernators, distinct from animals that merely sleep more in winter. From roughly October until February, March or April, depending on latitude, a groundhog retreats to a separate winter chamber below the frost line and enters a profound state of torpor. Its body temperature falls dramatically, dropping to as low as about 2 degrees Celsius, close to the temperature of the surrounding soil. Its heart rate slows from a normal pace to just 4 to 10 beats per minute, and breathing may drop to a single breath every six minutes. To survive this fast, the groundhog spends late summer and autumn eating voraciously, sometimes nearly doubling its weight, then slowly burns those fat reserves through winter, emerging in spring having lost up to half its body mass. This extreme physiology is so striking that groundhogs have become important research subjects for understanding metabolism, body-temperature regulation and the biology of hibernation.

## Why are groundhogs such good diggers, and what do they eat?
Digging defines the groundhog's life. Using strong forelimbs and claws, a single animal can excavate a burrow system with two to five entrances and tunnels that, in the longest recorded cases, stretch around seven metres, complete with separate chambers for nesting, hibernating and toileting. These burrows shelter the groundhog from predators and weather and, once abandoned, provide homes for other wildlife such as foxes, rabbits and amphibians, while the churned soil helps aerate and mix the earth. The downside, from a human view, is that burrows can undermine field edges and gardens. Groundhogs are essentially herbivorous, feeding on grasses, clover, dandelions, plantains and a wide range of leafy plants, along with garden vegetables, fruit and occasionally crops, which is why they are often regarded as pests by growers. An adult may eat more than half a kilogram of vegetation in a single day during the feeding season, fuel for the long winter fast ahead.

## What is Groundhog Day?
Groundhog Day, observed on 2 February, is a North American folk tradition with roots in older European weather customs tied to Candlemas. According to the lore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its shadow, six more weeks of winter will follow; if the day is cloudy and it casts no shadow, spring will arrive early. The most famous participant is a groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, though several towns across the United States and Canada hold their own ceremonies. In reality the date falls in the middle of the groundhog's hibernation period, and the prediction has no meteorological value, a groundhog roused in early February would normally return underground. The tradition is best understood as cultural celebration and seasonal folklore rather than science, but it has made this otherwise unassuming rodent one of the most recognised wild mammals in the world.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field conservation projects specifically for the groundhog, which is a common, Least Concern species living outside the countries where WARN's partners work partner countries. This guide is part of WARN's free educational work, helping people understand and value wildlife. The broader threats that touch all wild animals, especially habitat loss and the steady conversion of meadows and field edges, are the same pressures that endanger the species WARN does protect in its partner regions.

## Donation hook
If this guide helped you see a familiar burrowing neighbour in a new light, a small gift helps keep WARN's free wildlife education growing.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/groundhog): Groundhog — wildlife guide.

## Is a groundhog the same as a woodchuck?
Yes. Groundhog and woodchuck are two common names for exactly the same species, Marmota monax. Other regional names include whistle-pig and land-beaver. The name woodchuck has nothing to do with wood or chucking; it derives from an Indigenous word that English speakers reshaped. So the old tongue-twister about how much wood a woodchuck could chuck is pure wordplay, not biology.

## Are groundhogs rodents or related to squirrels?
Groundhogs are rodents and, more specifically, members of the squirrel family, Sciuridae. They belong to the marmot group, which means they are essentially large, ground-dwelling squirrels. While tree squirrels are slim and arboreal, marmots like the groundhog are heavy-bodied and built for life on and under the ground, but the family relationship is close and genuine.

## Do groundhogs really hibernate?
Yes, groundhogs are true hibernators, among the deepest of any North American mammal. During winter their body temperature can fall to around 2 degrees Celsius and their heart rate slows to just 4 to 10 beats per minute. They survive on fat built up in autumn, neither eating nor drinking for months, and can lose up to half their body weight before emerging in spring.

## What do groundhogs eat?
Groundhogs are almost entirely herbivorous. They graze on grasses, clover, dandelions, plantains and many other leafy plants, and readily eat garden vegetables, fruit and farm crops, which is why gardeners often consider them pests. An adult can consume more than half a kilogram of vegetation in a day during the warm months, building the fat reserves it needs to survive its long winter hibernation.

## Are groundhogs dangerous to people or gardens?
Groundhogs are not aggressive towards people and will usually flee or retreat to their burrows when approached. They can damage gardens, crops and field edges by feeding on plants and digging extensive tunnels, and their burrows occasionally undermine structures or create holes in pasture. Like any wild mammal they can bite if cornered, so it is best to observe them at a distance and never handle them.

## How long do groundhogs live?
In the wild, groundhogs typically live only two to three years, with about six years being an upper limit, as predators, disease, harsh winters and road traffic take a heavy toll. Common predators include coyotes, foxes, bobcats, hawks and snakes, especially of the young. In protected captive conditions, free from those pressures, groundhogs have been recorded living to around fourteen years of age.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/camel): Camel — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A camel is a large, hump-backed desert mammal of the genus Camelus. The one-humped dromedary and two-humped Bactrian are domesticated; the wild Bactrian camel is rare. Humps store fat, not water, and remarkable adaptations let camels endure extreme heat and long stretches without drinking.

## Introduction
A camel is a large, long-legged hoofed mammal superbly adapted to deserts and dry grasslands. There are three living species: the one-humped dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) and the two-humped domestic Bactrian (Camelus bactrianus), both kept by people for thousands of years, plus the rare wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) of the Gobi. Camels are famous for their humps, which store fat rather than water, and for an extraordinary suite of adaptations that let them survive scorching heat, dust storms and many days without drinking. Domesticated camels remain common worldwide, but their wild cousin is among the most endangered large mammals on Earth.

## Takeaway
Camels' humps store fat, not water; the fat fuels the body and yields water when metabolised.

## Takeaway
Three species exist: the one-humped dromedary, the two-humped domestic Bactrian, and the wild Bactrian camel.

## Takeaway
Domestic camels are abundant and not threatened, numbering around 14 million worldwide.

## Takeaway
The wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) is Critically Endangered, with only about 950 left in the Gobi region.

## Takeaway
Camels tolerate body-temperature swings, oval blood cells and big water intakes that would kill most mammals.

## Takeaway
People have relied on camels for transport, milk, meat and wool for thousands of years.

## Do camels store water in their humps?
No, this is the most enduring camel myth. A camel's hump is a reservoir of fatty tissue, not water. When food and water are scarce, the camel metabolises this fat for energy, and the chemical breakdown also releases some water as a by-product. A well-fed camel's hump stands plump and upright; as the fat is used up the hump shrinks and may flop to one side, recovering once the animal eats well again. The dromedary carries one hump and the Bactrian two. Camels do drink prodigiously when water is available, taking in up to around 140 litres in a single long session, but that water is absorbed into the bloodstream and tissues rather than stored in the hump. Their oval-shaped red blood cells keep flowing even when the animal is severely dehydrated and can swell dramatically on rehydration without bursting. Combined with concentrated urine, dry dung and the ability to tolerate large losses of body water, these traits let a dromedary go many days, sometimes more than a week, between drinks.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/camel): Camel — wildlife guide.

## How do camels survive desert heat?
Camels are walking masterclasses in heat management. Rather than sweating constantly to stay at a fixed temperature, a camel lets its body temperature drift across the day, from around 34°C at dawn to about 40°C by late afternoon, only sweating once it passes that upper limit. This saves precious water. Thick hair on the back shades the skin while leaving the belly relatively bare so heat can escape, and camels often sit facing the sun to reduce the surface exposed to it. Long, double-rowed eyelashes and slit-like, closable nostrils keep out blowing sand, and a third eyelid sweeps the eye clear. Broad, two-toed feet spread under the animal's weight to stop it sinking into soft sand or snow. Tough lips and a leathery mouth let camels browse thorny, salty desert plants that other grazers avoid. Bactrian camels add a thick winter coat, shed in ragged clumps each spring, to survive the bitter cold of the Central Asian steppe and Gobi, showing how flexible the camel body plan can be.

## What is the difference between a dromedary and a Bactrian camel?
The quickest tell is the humps: the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has one, while both Bactrian species (Camelus bactrianus and the wild Camelus ferus) have two. A handy memory aid is that a sideways 'D' has one bump and a sideways 'B' has two. The dromedary is the slender, short-coated camel of hot deserts such as the Sahara, Arabian Peninsula and South Asia, and it makes up roughly nine in ten of the world's camels. The Bactrian is stockier, with longer, shaggier hair suited to the cold deserts and mountains of Central Asia and Mongolia. Dromedaries no longer exist as a truly wild population, though large feral herds roam Australia after being introduced in the 1800s. Domestic Bactrians are kept across Central Asia, but their wild relative, Camelus ferus, is now recognised as a separate species and survives only in a few remote pockets of the Gobi. The two domestic species can interbreed and produce fertile hybrids, which has become a serious threat to the genetic integrity of the dwindling wild population.

## How long have people kept camels?
Camels are among the most important domestic animals of the arid world. Dromedaries were probably domesticated in the South Arabian or Somali region during the 3rd millennium BC, and Bactrian camels in Central Asia by around 2500 BC. For thousands of years they have carried people and goods across deserts that would defeat horses or oxen, earning the nickname 'ships of the desert', and they remain central to caravan trade, herding cultures and modern racing in many regions. Beyond transport, camels provide nutritious milk, meat, hair for textiles and dung for fuel, supporting communities where little else can be farmed. Today around 14 million domestic camels live across the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, the Middle East and South and Central Asia, and populations are generally stable or rising. This long partnership is exactly why the wild Bactrian camel matters so much: it is the last glimpse of the camel as a free-living wild animal, and the ancestor stock from which much of this resilience came.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/camel): Camel — wildlife guide.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field projects specifically for camels, which live mainly outside the countries where WARN and its partners work. This guide is part of WARN's free educational work, helping people understand the animals they share the planet with. The threats facing the wild Bactrian camel, habitat loss, fragmentation and pressure on scarce water and grazing, are the same forces that endanger many animals WARN does help protect, which is why public understanding matters.

## Donation hook
If you value clear, science-based wildlife guides like this, a small gift helps WARN keep caring for vulnerable animals and sharing free knowledge.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/camel): Camel — wildlife guide.

## Do camels really store water in their humps?
No. A camel's hump stores fat, not water. The fat acts as an energy reserve, and breaking it down releases a little water as a by-product. Camels survive long dry spells through other adaptations, drinking huge amounts when water is available, producing very concentrated urine and dry dung, and tolerating large losses of body water that would harm most mammals.

## How long can a camel go without water?
A camel can go for many days, sometimes well over a week, without drinking, even in heat, depending on conditions, workload and the moisture in its food. When it finally reaches water it may drink up to around 140 litres in one session. The water is absorbed into the bloodstream and tissues rather than stored in the hump, rapidly rehydrating the animal.

## What is the difference between a dromedary and a Bactrian camel?
The dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) has one hump and lives in hot deserts such as the Sahara and Arabian Peninsula. Bactrian camels have two humps and a shaggier coat suited to the cold deserts of Central Asia. A useful tip: turn the letters on their side, 'D' has one bump, 'B' has two. Dromedaries make up about 90% of all camels.

## Are camels endangered?
Domestic camels are not endangered; around 14 million live worldwide and their numbers are stable. The wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus), however, is Critically Endangered, with only about 950 left in remote parts of the Gobi in China and Mongolia. It faces habitat loss, hunting, competition for water and interbreeding with domestic camels, and is listed on CITES Appendix I.

## What do camels eat?
Camels are herbivores adapted to harsh, dry vegetation. They browse and graze on grasses, leaves, shrubs and thorny or salty desert plants that many other animals cannot eat, helped by tough lips and a leathery mouth. Like cattle they chew the cud, and they can extract a remarkable amount of moisture and nutrition from sparse, low-quality forage, allowing them to thrive where grazing is scarce.

## How long do camels live?
Camels are long-lived for large mammals, typically reaching around 40 to 50 years, with working and well-cared-for animals often living several decades. Females usually give birth to a single calf after a gestation of around 13 to 14 months, and calves can walk within hours of birth. This slow reproduction is one reason the small wild Bactrian camel population recovers so slowly.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/armadillo): Armadillo — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
An armadillo is a small to medium New World mammal of the order Cingulata, protected by a distinctive shell of bony plates covered in leathery skin. Around 20 species live across the Americas, digging burrows and feeding mainly on insects, grubs and other invertebrates.

## Introduction
Armadillos are small to medium-sized mammals of the Americas, instantly recognised by the bony, leathery shell that armours their back, head and tail. Around 20 living species make up the order Cingulata, ranging from the tiny pink fairy armadillo to the giant armadillo. They are powerful diggers that feed mainly on insects, grubs and other invertebrates, using a long, sticky tongue to raid ant and termite nests. The familiar nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has spread north into the southern United States and is classed as Least Concern, while some specialised species, such as the giant armadillo, are far more threatened. Armadillos are the only mammals with a true bony shell.

## Takeaway
Armadillos are the only living mammals with a true shell of bony plates (osteoderms) covered by tough skin.

## Takeaway
There are around 20 species, all native to the Americas, from the tiny pink fairy armadillo to the dog-sized giant armadillo.

## Takeaway
The widespread nine-banded armadillo is Least Concern and has expanded north into the southern United States, but the giant armadillo is assessed as Vulnerable.

## Takeaway
Only the three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes) can curl into a fully enclosed ball; most species rely on digging or fleeing to escape predators.

## Takeaway
The nine-banded armadillo almost always gives birth to four genetically identical quadruplets from a single fertilised egg.

## Takeaway
Armadillos eat mainly insects, grubs and other invertebrates and are valuable natural controllers of ants and termites.

## What does an armadillo's shell actually do?
The armadillo's most famous feature is its carapace, a layer of small bony plates called osteoderms set into the skin and overlaid with tough, leathery scales. Across the back this armour is divided into rigid shoulder and hip shields joined by a series of flexible bands, which is why several species are named for the number of bands they show, such as the nine-banded armadillo. The bands let the animal bend and move while still protecting the body, head and tail. Despite the popular image, most armadillos cannot roll into a ball: only the two three-banded species of the genus Tolypeutes can tuck head, tail and feet inside and close up into a near-perfect armoured sphere. For the rest, the shell is partial protection against thorns, predators' teeth and rough burrows, but their main defences are speed, sharp digging claws and the ability to dig themselves out of sight remarkably quickly. The soft underside is left unarmoured, so a threatened armadillo will often press its belly to the ground or wedge into a burrow.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/armadillo): Armadillo — wildlife guide.

## How many armadillo species are there and where do they live?
There are roughly 20 living armadillo species, all confined to the Americas. Diversity is highest in South America, especially around Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, but the group ranges from the southern United States down through Central and South America. The smallest is the pink fairy armadillo of Argentina, weighing only around 85 grams and measuring some 13 to 15 centimetres in total length; the largest is the giant armadillo, which can reach about 1.5 metres including the tail and weigh up to roughly 54 kilograms. The nine-banded armadillo is the most familiar and widespread species and the only one found in the United States, where it has steadily expanded its range northward into states such as Texas and Florida over the past century, helped by its adaptability and lack of natural predators in the north. Armadillos occupy a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, rainforest, scrub and semi-desert, generally favouring areas with loose soil suitable for digging the burrows in which they shelter and raise young.

## What do armadillos eat and how do they live?
Armadillos are mostly insectivorous, feeding on ants, termites, beetle larvae, grubs and other invertebrates, with some species, including the giant armadillo, specialising almost entirely on ants and termites. They locate prey largely by smell, then dig rapidly with strong forelimbs and claws and lap up insects with a long, sticky tongue. Many also take some plant matter, small vertebrates, eggs and carrion. Most species are solitary and largely nocturnal or crepuscular, spending the day in burrows they excavate themselves. Reproduction in the genus Dasypus is unusual: the nine-banded armadillo produces a single fertilised egg whose implantation is delayed by several months, after which it splits to yield four genetically identical offspring, a reliable case of polyembryony found in no other mammal genus. Armadillos also have an unusually low body temperature of around 34 degrees Celsius. This makes them one of the few animals besides humans able to harbour the bacterium that causes leprosy, and handling or eating wild armadillos carries a small risk of transmission.

## WARN work
World Animal Rescue Network does not run field projects dedicated to armadillos, which live across the Americas rather than in the countries where WARN's partners work. This guide is part of WARN's free educational work, which aims to make accurate, well-sourced wildlife information freely available to everyone. The same pressures that threaten the more specialised armadillos, above all habitat loss and conversion of wild land, also harm the animals WARN does protect, so learning about one species helps support care for many.

## Donation hook
If this guide helped you understand armadillos a little better, a small gift helps keep WARN's free wildlife education and hands-on animal care going.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/armadillo): Armadillo — wildlife guide.

## Can all armadillos roll into a ball?
No. Only the two three-banded armadillos of the genus Tolypeutes can curl into a fully enclosed ball, tucking in their head, tail and feet so the armour forms a near-perfect sphere. Most armadillos, including the common nine-banded armadillo, cannot do this and instead rely on digging, fleeing or wedging their armoured back against a burrow wall to protect their soft underside.

## Are armadillos endangered?
It depends on the species. The widespread nine-banded armadillo is assessed by the IUCN as Least Concern and is even expanding its range, so armadillos as a group are not generally endangered. However, several specialised species are at risk; the giant armadillo, for example, is classed as Vulnerable, mainly because of habitat loss and hunting across its South American range.

## What do armadillos eat?
Armadillos are mainly insectivores. They feed on ants, termites, beetle grubs and other invertebrates, which they sniff out and dig up with strong claws before lapping them up with a long, sticky tongue. Some species, such as the giant armadillo, specialise almost entirely on ants and termites. Many armadillos also eat some plant material, small vertebrates, eggs and carrion when available.

## Why do nine-banded armadillos have identical quadruplets?
The nine-banded armadillo normally produces four young that are genetically identical, because a single fertilised egg splits into four embryos. This reliable polyembryony is unique among mammals. After mating, implantation of the egg is delayed for several months; once it implants, it divides, so each litter is effectively a set of natural identical quadruplets sharing one placenta and the same sex.

## Do armadillos really carry leprosy?
Yes, some can. Armadillos have an unusually low body temperature of around 34 degrees Celsius, which suits the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae that causes leprosy. Wild nine-banded armadillos in parts of the southern United States and Latin America can carry it, and a small number of human cases have been linked to handling or eating them. The overall risk is low, but it is sensible to avoid contact with wild armadillos.

## Where do armadillos live?
All living armadillos are native to the Americas. Most species occur in South America, with the greatest diversity around Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, but the group ranges through Central America and into the southern United States. Only the nine-banded armadillo reaches the United States, where it has spread north into states such as Texas and Florida. Armadillos favour habitats with loose, diggable soil.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/porcupine): Porcupine — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A porcupine is a large herbivorous rodent covered in sharp quills — stiffened, modified hairs that defend it from predators. About 30 species exist in two distantly related families: Old World porcupines of Africa, Asia and Europe, and tree-climbing New World porcupines of the Americas.

## Introduction
Porcupines are large, slow-moving rodents famous for their coat of sharp quills — stiffened, modified hairs that defend them against almost any predator. There are around 30 species, split into two only distantly related families: the Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) of Africa, Asia and southern Europe, which are mostly ground-dwelling, and the New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) of the Americas, many of which climb trees. Despite the resemblance, the two groups evolved their quills independently. Contrary to a stubborn myth, porcupines cannot shoot or throw their quills; the barbed spines simply detach on contact. Most species are common and classed as Least Concern, though several are hunted or traded.

## Takeaway
Porcupines are rodents — the world's third-largest by body size after capybaras and beavers in some regions — defended by sharp quills.

## Takeaway
Quills are modified hairs that detach on contact; porcupines cannot shoot or throw them.

## Takeaway
The roughly 30 species fall into two families that evolved quills independently: Old World (Hystricidae) and New World (Erethizontidae).

## Takeaway
Old World porcupines are mainly ground-dwellers; many New World species climb trees.

## Takeaway
Most porcupines are herbivores, eating bark, roots, leaves, fruit and buds.

## Takeaway
Most species are Least Concern, but some are hunted for meat or quills and a few are CITES-listed.

## What are porcupines and how many species are there?
Porcupines are herbivorous rodents instantly recognised by their armour of quills. They belong to two separate families totalling roughly 30 species. The Old World porcupines (family Hystricidae) live across Africa, Asia and parts of southern Europe and Italy; they include the large crested porcupines, whose dramatic black-and-white quills can exceed 30 centimetres. Most are terrestrial, sheltering in burrows or rock crevices and foraging at night. The New World porcupines (family Erethizontidae) are found from northern Canada to South America and include the North American porcupine and the prehensile-tailed porcupines, many of which are skilled climbers that feed and nest in trees. Although the two families look alike, they are only distantly related within the rodent order; their quills are a striking example of convergent evolution, where similar defences arose independently. Porcupines are among the largest rodents — a big crested porcupine can weigh well over 10 kilograms — making their spiny defence all the more important against lions, leopards and other predators.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/porcupine): Porcupine — wildlife guide.

## How do porcupine quills work — and can they be thrown?
A quill is simply a hair that has become stiff, sharp and often barbed. A single North American porcupine may carry tens of thousands of them, lying flat until the animal is threatened. When alarmed, a porcupine raises its quills, turns its back, and may stamp, chatter or reverse rapidly into an attacker. Crucially, porcupines cannot shoot or throw their quills — this is a long-standing myth. Instead, the quills are loosely attached and detach easily on contact, lodging in the skin of whatever touches them. In many New World species the quill tips bear microscopic backward-facing barbs that make them painful and difficult to remove and help them work inwards over time. The defence is highly effective: predators that tangle with a porcupine can be left with a face full of spines, sometimes with fatal consequences. Lost quills regrow, much like ordinary hair. Porcupines themselves are largely immune to their own spines, and some research suggests a natural antibiotic coating on the quills may reduce infection from accidental self-pricks.

## Where do porcupines live and what do they eat?
Porcupines occupy an enormous range of habitats, from tropical rainforest and savanna to deserts, temperate woodland and cold northern forests. Old World species are widespread across Africa and southern Asia, with the crested porcupine reaching as far as Italy. New World species range from the Arctic treeline of Canada down through Central and South America. Most are nocturnal and solitary, though some shelter or feed in loose groups. The diet is overwhelmingly plant-based: bark, twigs, roots, bulbs, leaves, buds, fruit and crops. North American porcupines are well known for gnawing tree bark in winter, occasionally girdling and killing trees, and they crave salt — sometimes chewing tool handles, plywood or vehicle parts for the sodium. Old World porcupines often gnaw bones and shed antlers, which sharpen their ever-growing incisors and supply minerals. Because they raid gardens, plantations and farmland, porcupines can come into conflict with people, which in some regions adds to hunting pressure.

## Are porcupines endangered?
As a group, porcupines are not endangered, and the majority of species are assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with stable populations. They are adaptable, breed steadily and have few natural predators thanks to their defences. However, conservation status varies considerably between species. Some porcupines are hunted heavily for bushmeat, for their quills, or because they damage crops, and certain species are caught for the pet and ornamental trade. A number of porcupines are listed on the appendices of CITES, the international convention regulating wildlife trade, to keep that trade sustainable. Localised declines occur where forests are cleared or hunting is intense, and a few less-studied species are considered data-poor. Overall, though, porcupines remain a conservation success story compared with many large mammals — a reminder that effective natural defences, broad diets and flexible habitat use help species persist alongside people, provided hunting and habitat loss are kept in check.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field projects specifically for porcupines — most species live outside the countries where our partners work and are not globally threatened. This guide is part of our free educational work to help people understand the world's wildlife. The same pressures that affect some porcupines, especially habitat loss and unsustainable hunting, also threaten the animals WARN does protect, so building public understanding of all species supports our wider mission.

## Donation hook
If you value clear, science-based wildlife guides like this one, a small gift helps us keep them free and continue caring for the animals in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/porcupine): Porcupine — wildlife guide.

## Can porcupines shoot or throw their quills?
No. The idea that porcupines fire their quills like arrows is a myth. Quills are loosely attached, modified hairs that detach on contact. When threatened, a porcupine raises its quills, turns its back and may reverse into an attacker, leaving spines embedded in whatever touches it. They cannot launch quills through the air at a distance.

## Are porcupines rodents?
Yes. Porcupines are rodents, the same order as rats, mice, beavers and capybaras. They are among the larger rodents — a big Old World crested porcupine can weigh more than 10 kilograms. Their gnawing, ever-growing incisors are a classic rodent trait, used on bark, roots, bones and antlers to wear the teeth down.

## What is the difference between Old World and New World porcupines?
They are two distinct families that evolved quills independently. Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) live in Africa, Asia and southern Europe, are mostly ground-dwelling and tend to be large with long quills. New World porcupines (Erethizontidae) live in the Americas, are generally smaller, and many are skilled tree-climbers, some with a prehensile tail for gripping branches.

## What do porcupines eat?
Porcupines are herbivores. They eat bark, twigs, roots, bulbs, leaves, buds, fruit and farm crops. North American porcupines gnaw tree bark in winter and crave salt, sometimes chewing salty objects for sodium. Old World species often gnaw bones and shed antlers for minerals and to sharpen their continually growing incisor teeth.

## Do porcupine quills grow back?
Yes. Quills are modified hairs, so lost or detached quills regrow over time, much like ordinary fur regrowing after shedding. A North American porcupine may carry tens of thousands of quills, and gaps left after an encounter with a predator gradually fill in again as new quills develop from the skin.

## Are porcupines dangerous to humans or pets?
Porcupines are not aggressive and prefer to flee or hide. The danger is to curious dogs or predators that get a faceful of barbed quills, which are painful and hard to remove and may need veterinary care. Porcupines do not attack people; injuries almost always come from touching or pouncing on the animal.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/walrus): Walrus — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a huge Arctic pinniped, or fin-footed marine mammal, famous for its long ivory tusks and bristly whiskered snout. It hauls out on sea ice and dives to the seabed to feed on clams, using sensitive whiskers to find shellfish in dark water.

## Introduction
The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is an enormous Arctic pinniped instantly recognised by its long ivory tusks, bristly whiskered snout and folds of thick, blubbery skin. Spending its life around the shifting sea ice of the far north, it dives to the seabed to hoover up clams and other shellfish, sensing prey in dark, murky water with hundreds of exquisitely sensitive whiskers. Both males and females grow tusks, which they use to haul their huge bodies onto ice, spar for dominance and keep breathing holes open. Two subspecies share the Arctic: the Atlantic and the larger Pacific walrus. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, the walrus faces an uncertain future as the sea ice it depends on continues to retreat.

## Takeaway
The walrus is a huge Arctic pinniped with long tusks grown by both sexes.

## Takeaway
Its bristly whiskers, numbering in the hundreds, detect clams on the dark seabed.

## Takeaway
Tusks are elongated canine teeth used for hauling out, dominance and keeping ice holes open.

## Takeaway
Two subspecies exist: the Atlantic walrus and the larger Pacific walrus.

## Takeaway
The IUCN lists the walrus as Vulnerable, with sea-ice loss the leading concern.

## Takeaway
A thick blubber layer up to 15 cm deep insulates it against Arctic cold.

## What do walruses look like?
Walruses are among the largest pinnipeds, dwarfed only by elephant seals. A big Pacific male can weigh up to roughly 1,700 kg and stretch around 3 to 3.5 metres long, while Atlantic walruses and females are noticeably smaller, with females weighing about two-thirds as much as males. Their most famous feature is the pair of long tusks, which are simply enormously elongated upper canine teeth. Present in both sexes, these can reach about a metre in length and weigh several kilograms, with males generally growing the longest, thickest tusks. The broad muzzle carries a dense moustache of 400 to 700 stiff whiskers, or vibrissae, arranged in rows and used to feel for food. Beneath the wrinkled, sparsely haired skin lies a blubber layer up to 15 cm thick, providing both insulation and an energy store. Skin colour shifts with temperature and activity, appearing pale and greyish in cold water but flushing pink or cinnamon-brown when blood returns to the surface after the animal warms up on land or ice.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/walrus): Walrus — wildlife guide.

## What do walruses eat and how do they find food?
Walruses are benthic foragers, meaning they feed on the seabed rather than chasing fast prey in open water. Their overwhelming preference is for bivalve molluscs, especially clams, though their varied diet includes more than 60 genera of marine animals such as worms, snails, shrimps and sea cucumbers. Diving to the seafloor, often in cold, dark or sediment-clouded water where sight is little use, a walrus relies on its remarkable whiskers to detect and identify shellfish by touch. Once a clam is found, the walrus is thought to extract the soft body using powerful suction, sometimes squirting jets of water to expose buried prey, rather than crunching through shells. Contrary to a common myth, the tusks are not used to dig up food. An adult may eat thousands of clams in a single feeding bout, and this seabed grazing makes walruses important members of Arctic shelf ecosystems. Because they feed in relatively shallow continental-shelf waters, walruses depend on sea ice positioned over productive feeding grounds, using floes as resting platforms between dives.

## Why are walruses threatened?
The walrus is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, assessed in 2021, with a global population estimated at around 112,500 mature individuals. The central concern is climate change and the loss of Arctic sea ice. Walruses, particularly Pacific females and calves, traditionally rest on floating ice above their feeding grounds; as that ice retreats earlier and further north, animals are forced to haul out in dense crowds on land. These overcrowded beaches can lead to dangerous stampedes that crush calves, and they may sit far from the best feeding areas. Historically, commercial hunting for ivory, oil and hides drastically reduced walrus numbers, and while regulated subsistence hunting by Arctic peoples continues, the unsustainable slaughter of past centuries has largely ended. The walrus is listed on CITES Appendix III by Canada, helping to regulate international trade in walrus ivory. Disturbance from shipping, industrial activity and oil and gas development in a warming, more accessible Arctic adds further pressure on a species closely tied to a rapidly changing habitat.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field projects dedicated to walruses, which live across the remote Arctic, far beyond the countries where our partners work. Producing this free, carefully sourced guide is part of our educational mission to help people understand wildlife and the pressures it faces. The habitat loss and climate change that threaten the walrus are the same forces harming the animals WARN does protect on the ground.

## Donation hook
If this guide deepened your wonder at the Arctic's tusked giant, a small gift helps fund the free education and frontline animal care at the heart of WARN's work.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/walrus): Walrus — wildlife guide.

## Are walrus tusks teeth?
Yes. A walrus's tusks are enormously elongated upper canine teeth, not separate horns or bones. They grow in both males and females and can reach about a metre long. Walruses use them to haul their heavy bodies onto ice, to spar over dominance and mating, and to help keep breathing holes open in sea ice. They are not used to dig up food.

## What do walruses eat?
Walruses are seabed feeders that mainly eat bivalve molluscs, especially clams. Their broader diet spans more than 60 genera of marine animals, including worms, snails, shrimps and sea cucumbers. Diving to the cold, dark seafloor, a walrus uses its hundreds of sensitive whiskers to find shellfish by touch, then sucks out the soft body with powerful suction rather than crushing the shells.

## How big do walruses get?
Walruses are huge. A large Pacific male can weigh up to roughly 1,700 kg and measure around 3 to 3.5 metres long, making them among the biggest pinnipeds after elephant seals. Atlantic walruses are somewhat smaller, and females generally weigh about two-thirds as much as males. A thick blubber layer, up to 15 cm deep, adds to their bulk and insulates them.

## Are walruses endangered?
The walrus is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, a category below Endangered, based on a 2021 assessment. The global population is estimated at around 112,500 mature individuals. The main long-term threat is the loss of Arctic sea ice due to climate change, which disrupts resting, feeding and calf-rearing and forces dangerous overcrowding on land.

## What is the difference between a walrus and a seal or sea lion?
Walruses, seals and sea lions are all pinnipeds, but the walrus belongs to its own family and is set apart by its long tusks and dense whiskers. Unlike true seals, walruses and sea lions can rotate their hind flippers to walk on land. Walruses are far larger than most seals, lack external ear flaps, and are the only pinnipeds with prominent ivory tusks.

## Where do walruses live?
Walruses live in the cold, shallow waters and sea ice of the Arctic and subarctic. Two subspecies divide the range: the Atlantic walrus around Greenland, the Canadian Arctic and Svalbard, and the larger Pacific walrus in the Bering and Chukchi Seas between Alaska and Russia. They favour continental-shelf areas where they can dive to the seabed to feed and haul out on ice or shore.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/lemur): Lemur — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A lemur is a primate native only to Madagascar and nearby islands, forming the group Lemuriformes. More than 100 species exist, from tiny mouse lemurs to the familiar ring-tailed lemur. Most are tree-dwelling, and lemurs are the most endangered mammal group on Earth.

## Introduction
Lemurs are primates found in the wild only on Madagascar and a few nearby islands, where they have evolved into more than 100 species over tens of millions of years of isolation. They range from the tiny mouse lemurs, among the smallest primates alive, to the cat-sized ring-tailed lemur and the strange, long-fingered aye-aye. Most are tree-dwelling and many are active by night, with large reflective eyes and an excellent sense of smell. Lemurs are now the most threatened large group of mammals on the planet: the great majority of assessed species are classed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, driven mainly by deforestation and hunting.

## Takeaway
Lemurs live in the wild only on Madagascar and a handful of nearby islands — they are found nowhere else on Earth.

## Takeaway
There are more than 100 recognised species, ranging from mouse lemurs weighing about 30 grams to the larger indri and the ring-tailed lemur.

## Takeaway
Lemurs are the most endangered group of mammals on the planet, with the vast majority of assessed species Endangered or Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
Deforestation, agricultural clearance and hunting for bushmeat are the main threats to their survival.

## Takeaway
All lemur species are listed on CITES Appendix I, the strictest level of international trade protection.

## Takeaway
The ring-tailed lemur, with its black-and-white banded tail, is the most recognisable species and a symbol of Madagascar's wildlife.

## What exactly is a lemur?
Lemurs are primates, distant relatives of monkeys, apes and humans, but they belong to a separate and much older branch of the primate family tree called the strepsirrhines, which also includes bushbabies and lorises. The name comes from the Latin lemures, meaning ghosts or spirits, a nod to the wide reflective eyes and eerie nocturnal calls of many species. Lemurs are defined partly by where they live: in the wild they occur naturally only on Madagascar and a few neighbouring islands such as the Comoros, where they were introduced. They are thought to have reached Madagascar from mainland Africa tens of millions of years ago, probably rafting across the Mozambique Channel on floating vegetation, and then diversified in isolation into the extraordinary range of forms seen today. Compared with monkeys, lemurs generally have a more dog-like snout, a stronger reliance on smell, and a special grooming claw on one toe. Many also possess a toothcomb, a set of forward-tilting lower teeth used for grooming and feeding, which is a hallmark of the group.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/lemur): Lemur — wildlife guide.

## How many kinds of lemur are there?
Scientists currently recognise well over 100 living lemur species, and the count has grown as genetic studies reveal that populations once thought to be a single species are in fact several. They are usually grouped into five families. The mouse and dwarf lemurs include some of the smallest primates in the world, a few weighing only around 30 grams. The sportive lemurs are slender, nocturnal leapers. The true lemurs include the famous ring-tailed lemur and the brown lemurs. The indri family contains the indri itself — the largest living lemur, known for its haunting, whale-like songs — along with the sifakas, which bound sideways across open ground on two legs. Finally, the aye-aye sits in a family of its own: a strange nocturnal lemur with rodent-like teeth and a long, thin middle finger that it uses to tap on wood and fish out grubs. This variety, packed onto a single island, makes Madagascar one of the most important places on Earth for primate diversity.

## Why are lemurs so endangered?
Lemurs are widely described as the most threatened group of mammals on Earth. The great majority of assessed species are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and only a small handful are considered of least concern. The central problem is habitat loss. Madagascar has lost a large share of its original forest cover to logging, charcoal production and slash-and-burn agriculture, leaving many lemurs confined to shrinking, fragmented patches of woodland. Because most species are specialised to particular forest types and have small natural ranges, even modest forest clearance can put a whole species at risk. Hunting adds further pressure: in some regions lemurs are killed for bushmeat or captured for the local pet trade, despite legal protection. Climate change and more frequent droughts and cyclones compound these threats. All lemurs are listed on CITES Appendix I, banning commercial international trade, but their future depends above all on protecting and restoring the forests of Madagascar on which every species relies.

## How do lemurs live in the wild?
Lemur lifestyles are remarkably varied. Some, like the ring-tailed lemur, are active by day and spend a good deal of time on the ground, moving in social troops that can number a dozen or more. Many others are nocturnal, foraging alone or in small groups through the forest canopy under cover of darkness.

Diets range widely too: different species eat fruit, leaves, flowers, nectar, tree gum, insects and the occasional small animal, and some play an important role as pollinators and seed dispersers for Madagascar's plants. A striking feature of many lemur societies is female dominance, which is unusual among mammals — in ring-tailed lemurs and several other species, females take priority at feeding sites and lead the group.

Scent is central to lemur communication: they mark territory and signal status with secretions from glands on the wrists and rear, and male ring-tailed lemurs even hold 'stink fights', wafting scent from their tails at rivals. The dwarf and mouse lemurs are among the few primates known to enter long periods of torpor or hibernation to survive the dry season.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/lemur): Lemur — wildlife guide.

## Explore lemur species on WARN
This hub introduces lemurs as a group — but most readers search for a particular species. WARN publishes a twelve-species lemur library linked from this page covering the ring-tailed lemur, indri, aye-aye, sifakas, mouse lemurs, ruffed lemurs, golden bamboo lemur and more.

Each species page includes range, behaviour, CITES Appendix I status and conservation FAQs. Lemurs are not pets — every species belongs in Madagascar's forests, and the pet trade is a serious threat alongside deforestation.

Support habitat protection appeals to help the forests on which all 100+ lemur species depend.

## WARN work
World Animal Rescue Network does not run field conservation projects specifically for lemurs, which live only on Madagascar — outside the countries where WARN's partners operate. This guide is part of WARN's free educational work, helping people understand the world's wildlife and the pressures it faces. The threats that endanger lemurs most — deforestation, habitat fragmentation and hunting — are the same forces harming many of the animals WARN does protect, so learning about lemurs helps build support for animals everywhere.

## Donation hook
If this guide deepened your care for vanishing wildlife, a small gift helps WARN continue its free educational work and care for animals in the countries where it operates.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/lemur): Lemur — wildlife guide.

## Are lemurs monkeys?
No. Lemurs are primates, but they are not monkeys. They belong to a separate and more ancient branch of the primate family tree called the strepsirrhines, which also includes bushbabies and lorises. Monkeys and apes sit on a different branch. Lemurs tend to have a more dog-like snout, rely more heavily on smell, and possess features such as a grooming claw and a toothcomb that monkeys lack.

## Where do lemurs live?
In the wild, lemurs live only on the island of Madagascar, off the south-east coast of Africa, and on a few nearby islands such as the Comoros, where some were introduced by people. They are found nowhere else on Earth naturally. This makes them one of the clearest examples of how isolation on an island can drive the evolution of a unique and diverse group of animals.

## Why are lemurs endangered?
Lemurs are the most threatened group of mammals on Earth mainly because of habitat loss. Madagascar has lost much of its forest to logging, charcoal production and slash-and-burn farming, leaving lemurs in small, fragmented patches of woodland. Hunting for bushmeat and capture for the pet trade add further pressure, while droughts and cyclones worsen the situation. Most assessed species are Endangered or Critically Endangered.

## What do lemurs eat?
Diet varies greatly between the more than 100 lemur species. Many eat fruit, leaves, flowers, nectar and tree gum, while smaller species also take insects, and a few catch small animals. By feeding on fruit and flowers, lemurs help pollinate plants and disperse seeds, making them important to the health of Madagascar's forests. Some dwarf and mouse lemurs store fat and enter torpor to survive lean dry seasons.

## What is the most famous lemur?
The ring-tailed lemur is the most recognisable species, instantly identified by its long black-and-white banded tail and bold facial markings. Unlike many lemurs it is active by day and spends time on the ground in social troops. Its familiarity in books, films and wildlife documentaries has made it a symbol of Madagascar's wildlife, though it too is threatened in the wild by habitat loss and hunting.

## Are lemurs protected by law?
Yes. All lemur species are listed on Appendix I of CITES, the international convention regulating trade in endangered species, which bans commercial international trade in them. Lemurs are also legally protected within Madagascar. However, enforcement is difficult, and illegal hunting and capture still occur. Lasting protection depends above all on conserving and restoring the forests of Madagascar, since every lemur species relies on these habitats to survive.

## Where can I read about individual lemur species?
WARN's lemur wildlife guide links to a twelve-species library covering ring-tailed lemurs, indri, aye-aye, sifakas, mouse lemurs, ruffed lemurs, golden bamboo lemur and more — each with range, behaviour and conservation status.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ferret): Ferret — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A ferret (Mustela furo) is a domesticated member of the weasel family, bred from the European polecat about 2,500 years ago. Long-bodied, playful and carnivorous, it has long been used to hunt rabbits and is today a popular household pet, typically living seven to ten years.

## Introduction
The ferret (Mustela furo) is a small, long-bodied carnivore in the weasel family, Mustelidae, domesticated from the European polecat roughly 2,500 years ago. Bred originally to flush rabbits and rodents from burrows, ferrets are now one of the most popular small pets in the world, kept for their curious, mischievous and intensely playful nature. Slinky and supple, they sleep up to 18 hours a day yet burst into acrobatic bouts of the famous "weasel war dance" when awake. As obligate carnivores they need a meat-based diet. Crucially, the domestic ferret is a tame animal, not a wild or threatened one, and should not be confused with the endangered black-footed ferret of North America.

## Takeaway
The ferret is a domesticated animal bred from the wild European polecat, not a wild species in its own right.

## Takeaway
It belongs to the weasel family (Mustelidae) and is an obligate carnivore that thrives on a meat-based diet.

## Takeaway
Ferrets are renowned for their playfulness, including the bouncy, sideways "weasel war dance".

## Takeaway
They have been used for centuries to hunt rabbits and rodents out of their burrows, a practice called ferreting.

## Takeaway
The domestic ferret should not be confused with the Endangered black-footed ferret of the North American prairies.

## Takeaway
Pet ferrets are legal in many places but restricted or banned in some jurisdictions, so always check local laws first.

## What kind of animal is a ferret?
The ferret is a domesticated mammal in the genus Mustela and the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, stoats, polecats, mink and otters. Its scientific name, Mustela furo, reflects its place among the true weasels. Like its relatives, the ferret has a long, tubular body, short legs, a flexible spine and a pointed face, an anatomy perfectly suited to following prey down narrow tunnels. Adults usually measure around 50 cm in head-and-body length with a tail of about 13 cm, and weigh between roughly 0.7 and 2 kg, with males noticeably larger than females. Coat colours range from the classic dark-masked "sable" through albino (white with pink eyes) to silver, cinnamon and chocolate. Genetic and historical evidence indicates the ferret was domesticated from the European polecat (Mustela putorius) around 2,500 years ago, most likely to control rabbits and rodents. This long shared history with people makes the ferret a true domestic animal, comparable to the cat or dog rather than a tamed wild creature.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ferret): Ferret — wildlife guide.

## How do ferrets behave, and what do they eat?
Ferrets are intelligent, inquisitive and famously playful. They sleep deeply for 14 to 18 hours a day and are most active around dawn and dusk, a crepuscular rhythm inherited from their hunting ancestors. When awake and excited they perform the "weasel war dance": a frenzied series of sideways hops, bumps and backward shuffles that signals pure delight rather than aggression. They are social by nature and often kept in pairs or small groups, communicating through soft chuckles known as "dooking". As members of the weasel family, ferrets are obligate carnivores: their digestive systems are built to process meat, and they cannot extract nutrition efficiently from plant matter. A suitable diet is high in animal protein and fat and low in carbohydrate and fibre, supplied either as a specially formulated ferret food or an appropriate whole-prey or raw diet. Their fast metabolism and short gut mean they eat little and often. Curiosity and a talent for squeezing through gaps also make ferrets escape artists, so secure housing and supervised play are essential.

## What have ferrets been used for, and are they legal to keep?
For most of their history, ferrets earned their keep as working animals. The practice of "ferreting" sends a ferret into a rabbit warren to flush the occupants out into nets or towards waiting hunters, a tradition recorded since Roman times and still used in parts of Europe today. In the 19th and early 20th centuries ferrets were widely employed to protect grain stores and farms from rodents, including across the American West before modern pest control. Their slender build also led to occasional industrial use threading cables and wires through narrow conduits. Today most ferrets are kept simply as companions. Legality, however, varies considerably: ferrets are legal across most of the United Kingdom and many other countries and US states, but they are banned or tightly restricted in some places, including California, Hawaii and New York City, often over concerns about feral populations or rabies vaccination status. Anyone considering a ferret should confirm local regulations, licensing and vaccination requirements before bringing one home.

## Is the ferret the same as the black-footed ferret?
No, and the distinction matters for conservation. The domestic ferret (Mustela furo) is a tame, widely kept animal with no wild population to conserve and no IUCN Red List threat assessment. The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is an entirely separate species native to the grasslands and prairies of North America, where it preys almost exclusively on prairie dogs. Once thought extinct, the black-footed ferret was rediscovered in 1981 and remains one of the most endangered mammals on the continent, classified by the IUCN as Endangered and dependent on intensive captive breeding and reintroduction. The European polecat (Mustela putorius), the wild ancestor of the domestic ferret, is a third, distinct animal still found across much of Europe. Confusing these species can muddle public understanding of which animals actually need protection. When people picture a "ferret" as a pet, they mean Mustela furo; when conservationists discuss a ferret in peril, they almost always mean the black-footed ferret of the American plains.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field conservation projects for the domestic ferret, because it is a domesticated companion animal rather than a wild or threatened species; this guide is part of WARN's free public education work. The wider threats that endanger the ferret's wild relatives, such as the habitat loss and prey decline behind the black-footed ferret's plight, are the very same pressures facing the wild animals WARN does help protect.

## Donation hook
If you have learned something new here, a small gift helps keep WARN's wildlife education free and supports the wild animals whose homes are disappearing.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ferret): Ferret — wildlife guide.

## Is a ferret a rodent?
No. Despite their small size and long bodies, ferrets are not rodents. They are carnivores in the weasel family (Mustelidae), closely related to polecats, stoats, weasels and mink. Rodents such as rats and mice belong to a completely different order and are gnawing herbivores or omnivores, whereas ferrets are obligate meat-eaters that historically hunted rodents and rabbits.

## How long do pet ferrets live?
Domestic ferrets typically live for about seven to ten years, longer than many small pets. Lifespan depends on genetics, diet and veterinary care. As obligate carnivores they need a high-protein, meat-based diet, and they are prone to certain health problems as they age, so regular check-ups with a vet experienced in ferrets help them live a full and comfortable life.

## What is the difference between a ferret and a polecat?
The polecat is the wild animal; the ferret is its domesticated descendant. The European polecat (Mustela putorius) lives wild across much of Europe, while the domestic ferret (Mustela furo) was bred from it around 2,500 years ago for hunting and companionship. They can interbreed, and escaped ferrets sometimes mix with wild polecats, but the ferret is a tame, human-shaped animal.

## Are ferrets legal to keep as pets?
It depends on where you live. Ferrets are legal across most of the United Kingdom and in many other countries and US states, but they are banned or restricted in some places, including California, Hawaii and New York City. Restrictions often relate to fears of feral populations or rabies vaccination rules. Always check your local laws and any licensing requirements before getting one.

## What is the weasel war dance?
The "weasel war dance" is a burst of frenzied, joyful hopping that ferrets and their weasel relatives perform when excited or at play. It involves sideways leaps, arched backs, bumping into things and backward shuffles, often accompanied by soft clucking sounds called "dooking". Despite the warlike name it signals happiness and an invitation to play, not aggression or fear.

## Why is the black-footed ferret endangered but the pet ferret is not?
They are different species. The pet ferret (Mustela furo) is domesticated, kept worldwide and has no wild population at risk, so it is not assessed for conservation. The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is a wild North American species that nearly went extinct due to habitat loss and the decline of prairie dogs, its main prey. The IUCN lists it as Endangered, and it survives largely through captive breeding and reintroduction.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/chinchilla): Chinchilla — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A chinchilla is a small, soft-furred rodent of the genus Chinchilla, native to the Andes mountains of South America. Famous for the densest fur of any land mammal, both wild species are Endangered, yet chinchillas are also bred and kept worldwide as long-lived, dust-bathing pets.

## Introduction
A chinchilla is a small, crepuscular rodent native to the high Andes of South America, famous for having one of the densest, softest fur coats of any land mammal. The genus Chinchilla contains two species — the long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) and the short-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla) — both of which are classed as Endangered in the wild after centuries of intense hunting for their fur. Chinchillas keep their coats clean by rolling in fine volcanic dust rather than bathing in water. Although wild populations are scarce and fragmented, chinchillas are bred widely and kept as gentle, long-lived pets around the world.

## Takeaway
Chinchillas are Andean rodents in the genus Chinchilla, with two recognised living species.

## Takeaway
Their fur is among the densest of any land mammal, with dozens of hairs growing from each follicle.

## Takeaway
Both wild species are listed as Endangered, largely due to historical hunting for the fur trade.

## Takeaway
They clean themselves by rolling in fine dust, never water, which would damage their dense coat.

## Takeaway
Chinchillas are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk, and can live 10-20 years in human care.

## Takeaway
They are protected internationally under CITES Appendix I, the strictest trade category.

## What does a chinchilla look like and how is it built?
A chinchilla is a compact, rounded rodent, typically weighing between roughly 400 and 800 grams, with the females usually larger than the males. It has a broad head, large rounded ears, big dark eyes adapted to low light, and long, sensitive whiskers that help it navigate rocky terrain in the dark. The most striking feature is the coat: chinchilla fur is extraordinarily dense, with many fine hairs — often more than fifty — emerging from each follicle, compared with a single hair per follicle in humans. This density traps air and insulates the animal against the cold, dry nights of the high Andes. The bushy tail and strong hind legs make chinchillas agile jumpers, able to leap considerable distances between rocks. The two species differ mainly in proportions: the long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) has a longer tail and slimmer body, while the short-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla) is stockier with shorter ears and tail. Natural wild colouring is a mottled bluish-grey that blends with mountain rock, though selective breeding has produced many colour varieties in captivity.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/chinchilla): Chinchilla — wildlife guide.

## Where do chinchillas live, and why do they bathe in dust?
Chinchillas are native to the Andes mountains of South America, historically ranging across parts of Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, though wild populations today are largely confined to small, scattered areas of northern Chile. They are mountain animals, living at high elevations among rocks and sparse scrub, where they shelter in crevices and burrows and forage on grasses, seeds and other vegetation. Chinchillas are crepuscular, meaning they are most active around dawn and dusk, which helps them avoid both the midday sun and many predators. One of their best-known behaviours is dust bathing: instead of washing in water, a chinchilla rolls vigorously in fine, powdery dust or volcanic ash. This dust absorbs excess oils and moisture and keeps the dense fur clean and fluffy. Water bathing is actively avoided, because the thick coat holds water against the skin, dries very slowly and can lead to fungal infection or chilling. In captivity, keepers provide special fine dust so pet chinchillas can carry out this natural grooming behaviour.

## Why are wild chinchillas endangered?
Wild chinchillas were hunted intensely for centuries because their exceptionally soft, dense fur was prized in the international garment trade. From the nineteenth century onwards, millions of animals were trapped and exported, and by the early twentieth century wild populations had collapsed across most of their former range. Both living species — the long-tailed and short-tailed chinchilla — are now assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and their numbers remain low and fragmented. Beyond historical hunting, surviving wild chinchillas face ongoing pressures from habitat loss and degradation, including mining, livestock grazing, firewood harvesting and the burning of the shrubs they depend on. International commercial trade in wild chinchillas is banned under CITES Appendix I, the strictest level of protection. Importantly, the chinchillas bred as pets and on fur farms are descended from a small number of founder animals and are common, but this domestic abundance does not reflect the precarious state of the wild populations. Conservation today focuses on protecting the few remaining Andean colonies and the fragile high-altitude habitat that supports them.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field projects specifically for chinchillas, which live in the high Andes far from the countries where our partners work; this guide is part of our free educational work to help people understand the world's animals. The same broad threats that have pushed wild chinchillas to Endangered status — habitat loss, degradation and overexploitation — also harm the animals WARN does protect, which is why clear, accurate information matters.

## Donation hook
If learning about the chinchilla deepened your care for wildlife, a small gift helps fund free educational guides like this one and supports the animals WARN works directly to protect.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/chinchilla): Chinchilla — wildlife guide.

## Are chinchillas endangered?
Yes — in the wild. Both living species, the long-tailed and short-tailed chinchilla, are classed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List after centuries of hunting for their fur, and surviving populations in the Andes are small and fragmented. Chinchillas bred in captivity as pets are common, but that abundance does not reflect the precarious state of wild chinchillas, which remain internationally protected under CITES Appendix I.

## Why do chinchillas bathe in dust instead of water?
A chinchilla's fur is so dense that water soaks in and dries extremely slowly, holding moisture against the skin and risking chilling or fungal infection. Instead, chinchillas roll in fine, powdery dust or volcanic ash, which absorbs excess oils and moisture and keeps the coat clean and fluffy. This dust bathing is a natural behaviour, and keepers provide special fine dust so pet chinchillas can groom themselves properly.

## How long do chinchillas live?
Chinchillas are unusually long-lived for small rodents. In human care they commonly live around 10 to 20 years, considerably longer than many similar-sized pets, with good husbandry, diet and veterinary care influencing lifespan. Wild chinchillas generally live shorter lives because of predation, harsh high-altitude conditions and other natural pressures. Their longevity is one reason keeping a pet chinchilla is a long-term commitment.

## Where do chinchillas come from?
Chinchillas are native to the Andes mountains of South America. Historically they ranged across parts of Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, but wild populations today are mostly confined to small, scattered areas of northern Chile. They are high-altitude animals that shelter among rocks and crevices and forage on grasses, seeds and other vegetation, and are most active around dawn and dusk.

## Why is chinchilla fur so soft?
Chinchilla fur is among the densest of any land mammal because many fine hairs grow from each follicle — often more than fifty, compared with a single hair per follicle in humans. This packed arrangement of ultra-fine hairs traps air, insulating the animal against cold Andean nights, and gives the coat its famously soft, velvety feel. Tragically, this same softness made chinchillas a target for intense fur hunting.

## Do chinchillas make good pets?
Chinchillas can be gentle, curious and long-lived companions, but they have specific needs. They require a cool environment, as their dense coat makes them prone to overheating, plus regular dust baths, a high-fibre diet based on hay, space to jump, and gentle handling. They are crepuscular, so most active at dawn and dusk. Their 10-to-20-year lifespan makes them a serious, long-term responsibility rather than a casual pet.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/water-vole): Water Vole — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A water vole (Arvicola amphibius) is a large, semi-aquatic rodent found along rivers, ditches and reed beds across Europe and western Asia. With chestnut fur, a blunt muzzle and a furry tail, it is a true vole — not a rat — and the inspiration for "Ratty" in The Wind in the Willows.

## Introduction
The water vole (Arvicola amphibius) is a large, semi-aquatic rodent of riverbanks, ditches and reed beds across Europe and into western Asia. With its rounded face, chestnut-brown fur, small hidden ears and furry tail, it is often mistaken for a brown rat — yet it is a true vole, and the real-life model for "Ratty" in The Wind in the Willows. Globally the species is listed as Least Concern, but in the United Kingdom it has become one of the fastest-declining mammals, hit hard by habitat loss and predation from invasive American mink. Listen by a quiet stream in summer and you may hear its tell-tale "plop" as it dives.

## Takeaway
The water vole is a true vole, not a rat — note the blunt rounded muzzle, small ears almost hidden in fur, and short furry tail.

## Takeaway
It is the largest vole in Britain and the real-life inspiration for "Ratty" in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows.

## Takeaway
Globally the species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a wide range across Europe, Russia and western Asia.

## Takeaway
In the United Kingdom it is one of the fastest-declining mammals, driven by habitat loss and predation by the invasive American mink.

## Takeaway
Water voles are mainly vegetarian, grazing waterside grasses, sedges and rushes, and give themselves away with a distinctive "plop" as they dive.

## Takeaway
They are strictly protected in Britain, where their burrows and habitat are safeguarded by law.

## What does a water vole look like and how is it different from a rat?
A water vole is a plump, round-bodied rodent measuring roughly 14-22 cm in head-and-body length, with a tail about half that again. Adults typically weigh between about 150 and 300 grams, making this the largest vole in Britain. Its fur is usually rich chestnut to dark brown, occasionally near-black in parts of Scotland. The features that distinguish it from the superficially similar brown rat are worth learning: the water vole has a blunt, rounded muzzle rather than a pointed snout, small ears that barely show above the fur, and a short, hair-covered tail instead of the rat's long, scaly, near-naked one. Its eyes are small and its overall silhouette is rounded and chubby. When alarmed it dives into the water with a characteristic "plop", a sound that often reveals its presence before it is seen. Because of this resemblance, and the famous character "Ratty", many people wrongly assume water voles are rats — but they are gentle, plant-eating voles.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/water-vole): Water Vole — wildlife guide.

## Where do water voles live and what do they eat?
Water voles are semi-aquatic and tied to fresh water. Across their range they occupy the banks of slow-flowing rivers and streams, ditches, canals, marshes, reed beds and ponds, and in some upland areas they live in damp peatland and grassland away from open water. The species ranges widely across most of Europe, into Russia, parts of West Asia and Kazakhstan, and can be found from sea level up to around 1,000 metres in mountainous regions. They dig extensive burrow systems into soft, vegetated banks, with entrances at and below the waterline, and create networks of runs and feeding lawns through the surrounding vegetation. Their diet is overwhelmingly vegetarian: grasses, sedges, rushes, reeds and waterside herbs make up the bulk of it, supplemented by roots, bulbs, fruits, twigs and bark, especially in winter. Distinctively grazed grass stems cut at a neat 45-degree angle, along with latrines of small, rounded droppings, are classic field signs that water voles are present.

## Why are water voles disappearing in Britain?
Although the water vole is globally Least Concern, in the United Kingdom it has suffered one of the most dramatic declines of any British mammal, vanishing from large parts of its former range over recent decades. Two pressures drive this. The first is habitat loss and fragmentation: the canalisation and dredging of watercourses, drainage of wetlands, intensive bankside farming and urban development have stripped away the lush, vegetated banks water voles depend on, leaving isolated populations cut off from one another. The second, and especially severe, factor is predation by the American mink — a non-native carnivore that escaped and was released from fur farms. Female mink are small enough to enter water vole burrows and can wipe out entire colonies, a pressure the voles have no evolved defence against. Because of these threats, water voles and their burrows are strictly protected under wildlife law in Britain, and recovery depends on restoring connected, well-vegetated waterways and controlling invasive mink.

## How do water voles breed and how long do they live?
Water voles have a fast, prolific breeding strategy that helps offset high natural mortality. The breeding season runs from spring into late autumn, roughly March to October. After a gestation of about 21 days, a female gives birth to a litter of typically three to eight young in a nest within her burrow or, sometimes, woven among reeds. A female may produce several litters in a single season, and young from early litters can themselves breed before the year is out. The young are weaned and independent within a few weeks. Life is short and hazardous: most wild water voles live only a few months, and few survive more than two winters, as they are heavily preyed upon by herons, owls, stoats, pike and, where present, mink. This boom-and-bust pattern means healthy populations can bounce back quickly when habitat is good and predation is low — which is exactly why restoring riverbanks and tackling invasive predators can turn local fortunes around.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field projects specifically for the water vole — the species lives mostly outside the countries where WARN's partners work, and this guide is part of WARN's free educational mission to help people understand and value wildlife. The threats that hit water voles hardest, however — habitat loss, drained and degraded wetlands, and pressure from invasive species — are exactly the kinds of pressures that bear down on the animals WARN's partners do protect.

## Donation hook
If learning about the water vole sparked a little wonder, a small gift helps keep WARN's free wildlife guides growing and supports the animals our partners protect.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/water-vole): Water Vole — wildlife guide.

## Is a water vole a rat?
No. Despite its size and brown fur, the water vole is a true vole, not a rat. You can tell them apart by the vole's blunt, rounded muzzle, small ears nearly hidden in its fur, and short, furry tail — compared with a brown rat's pointed snout, prominent ears and long, scaly, almost hairless tail. The confusion is reinforced by "Ratty", who is actually a water vole.

## Why is the character "Ratty" in The Wind in the Willows a water vole?
In Kenneth Grahame's 1908 classic The Wind in the Willows, the riverbank-loving character "Ratty" is named as a Water Rat, but the animal described — messing about in boats along a gentle English river — is a water vole. The old country name "water rat" caused the mix-up. Ratty has become so beloved that he is now the species' best-known cultural ambassador.

## What do water voles eat?
Water voles are almost entirely vegetarian. They graze on grasses, sedges, rushes, reeds and other waterside plants, and supplement this with roots, bulbs, fruits, twigs and bark, particularly in winter. They have been recorded occasionally eating aquatic invertebrates, but plant material dominates their diet. Neatly grazed stems cut at a 45-degree angle are a classic sign that water voles are feeding nearby.

## Are water voles endangered?
Globally, the water vole (Arvicola amphibius) is assessed by the IUCN as Least Concern, thanks to its very wide range across Europe and into Asia. The picture is very different in the United Kingdom, where it has become one of the fastest-declining mammals due to habitat loss and predation by invasive American mink, and is strictly protected by law. So the answer depends heavily on where you are.

## What is the main threat to water voles in the UK?
The two biggest threats are habitat loss and the invasive American mink. Drainage of wetlands, canalisation and dredging of rivers, and intensive bankside land use have destroyed the vegetated banks water voles need. On top of this, female American mink are small enough to enter water vole burrows and can wipe out whole colonies, against which the voles have no evolved defence — a combination that has caused steep, widespread declines.

## How long do water voles live?
Most water voles live only a few months in the wild, and relatively few survive more than two winters. They face heavy predation from herons, owls, stoats, pike and mink, as well as harsh winters. To balance this, they breed rapidly — a female can raise several litters of up to eight young between spring and autumn — so populations can recover quickly when habitat is healthy and predators are kept in check.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/pine-marten): Pine Marten — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A pine marten (Martes martes) is a cat-sized, tree-climbing member of the weasel family native to European and western Asian woodland. Chestnut-brown with a cream throat bib and bushy tail, it is rare in much of Britain but recovering, and is globally classed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

## Introduction
The pine marten (Martes martes) is a cat-sized member of the weasel family that lives in woodland and climbs with extraordinary agility. Native across much of Europe and into western Asia, it is recognised by its rich chocolate-brown coat, distinctive cream-to-orange throat bib, large rounded ears and long bushy tail. Once widespread in Britain, it was driven to near-extinction by habitat loss and persecution and survived mainly in the Scottish Highlands. It is now recovering and spreading, helped by legal protection and reintroductions. Remarkably, where pine martens return, native red squirrels often recover too, because the marten preys more heavily on invasive grey squirrels. Globally the species is classed as Least Concern.

## Takeaway
The pine marten is a cat-sized woodland mustelid, identified by chocolate-brown fur and a cream-to-orange throat patch.

## Takeaway
Globally it is classed as Least Concern, but it remains rare across much of Britain after centuries of habitat loss and persecution.

## Takeaway
Populations are recovering and expanding in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland, aided by protection and reintroductions.

## Takeaway
Pine martens help native red squirrels by preying more heavily on ground-foraging invasive grey squirrels.

## Takeaway
They are agile climbers and skilled generalists, eating small mammals, birds, eggs, insects, frogs, fruit and berries.

## Takeaway
Females use delayed implantation, mating in summer but giving birth the following spring.

## What does a pine marten look like and how big is it?
The pine marten is roughly the size of a domestic cat but with a slimmer, more elongated body typical of the weasel family. Adults have a head-and-body length of up to about 53 cm, plus a long bushy tail of around 25 cm that aids balance during climbing. Most weigh between 1.5 and 1.7 kg, with males larger than females. The coat is a rich chocolate-brown, growing darker and thicker in winter, and the most recognisable feature is the pale throat bib, which ranges from creamy yellow to deep orange and is unique enough to help identify individuals. Other distinguishing features include large, rounded ears edged in pale fur, a pointed face and strong, semi-retractable claws. These claws, combined with the ability to rotate their hind feet, make pine martens superb climbers, able to descend tree trunks head-first. They are mostly solitary and largely nocturnal or crepuscular, though they may be active by day in quiet areas. Their long tails, dark fur and bounding gait can cause them to be mistaken for a cat or a large stoat at a glance.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/pine-marten): Pine Marten — wildlife guide.

## What do pine martens eat and how do they live?
Pine martens are opportunistic omnivores, and their diet shifts with the seasons. They take small mammals such as voles and mice, along with birds, eggs, insects, frogs and carrion, and in late summer and autumn they eat large quantities of berries and fruit. This flexibility allows them to thrive in mixed woodland, conifer forest, scrub and rocky areas. Each animal holds a territory that it marks with droppings, or scats, often left in prominent places such as tracks, rocks or logs; these scats have a distinctive musky, slightly sweet smell. Pine martens are excellent climbers and frequently den and rest in tree cavities, old squirrel dreys, rock crevices or buildings, and they will readily use purpose-built den boxes. They are mainly solitary outside the breeding season. Breeding involves delayed implantation: mating takes place in mid to late summer, but the fertilised egg does not implant until the following late winter, so the single litter of up to five kits is born in late March or April. The young stay with their mother through the summer before dispersing.

## Why are pine martens linked to red squirrel recovery?
One of the most striking findings in recent British and Irish ecology is that the return of the pine marten can help native red squirrels at the expense of invasive grey squirrels. Grey squirrels, introduced from North America, outcompete reds and carry a disease that is usually fatal to them, and they have driven red squirrels out of much of Britain. Where pine martens recolonise, however, this trend can reverse. The leading explanation is that grey squirrels, which did not evolve alongside the pine marten, spend more time foraging on the ground and are heavier and less agile in the canopy, making them easier prey. Red squirrels, native to the same woodlands as the marten, are lighter, warier and better at escaping through the treetops, so they suffer far less predation. The result is that areas with established pine marten populations often see grey squirrel numbers fall and red squirrels begin to return. This makes the pine marten a valuable native predator for woodland conservation, and a clear example of how restoring one species can ripple through an ecosystem to benefit others.

## Are pine martens protected and how are they recovering?
Although the pine marten is classed as Least Concern across its wide global range, its history in Britain has been very different. Centuries of woodland clearance, trapping for fur and persecution as a perceived threat to game and poultry reduced it to scattered strongholds, chiefly in the Scottish Highlands, by the early twentieth century. The species is now legally protected in Britain and Ireland, where it is an offence to kill, injure or disturb them or to damage their resting places. Protection, the regrowth of woodland and natural spread have allowed populations to recover, and pine martens are once again expanding across Scotland and into northern England and Wales. Carefully managed reintroductions have helped re-establish the species in parts of Wales and England where it had been lost. Recovery is not guaranteed everywhere: pine martens still need large areas of connected woodland, they can be killed on roads, and isolated populations remain vulnerable. Continued habitat protection, woodland connectivity and public understanding all support the species' long-term return to landscapes it once occupied.

## WARN work
WARN does not run field projects specifically for the pine marten, which lives largely outside the countries where our partners work. This guide is part of our free educational work to help people understand wildlife and the pressures it faces. The threats that once nearly wiped out British pine martens, above all habitat loss and the fragmentation of forests, are the same forces harming the animals WARN's partners do protect every day.

## Donation hook
If this guide helped you, a small gift helps us keep publishing free wildlife education and supports hands-on care for vulnerable animals in the regions where we work.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/pine-marten): Pine Marten — wildlife guide.

## Is a pine marten endangered?
No. Across its wide range in Europe and western Asia the pine marten is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, meaning it is not globally threatened. However, it remains rare and patchily distributed in much of Britain after historic habitat loss and persecution, and is legally protected there. Populations are now recovering and expanding in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and northern England.

## What is the difference between a pine marten and a stoat or weasel?
All three belong to the weasel family, but the pine marten is much larger, roughly the size of a domestic cat, with a long bushy tail and a cream-to-orange throat bib. Stoats and weasels are far smaller, slimmer and shorter-tailed, with reddish-brown upper fur and pale undersides. Pine martens are also strong tree climbers, whereas stoats and weasels hunt mainly on the ground.

## Do pine martens really help red squirrels?
Yes. Research in Britain and Ireland shows that where pine martens recover, invasive grey squirrels decline and native red squirrels often return. Grey squirrels did not evolve alongside the marten, spend more time on the ground and are heavier and less agile in the canopy, making them easier prey. Lighter, warier red squirrels escape more easily, so they suffer far less predation.

## Are pine martens dangerous to humans or pets?
No. Pine martens are shy, mostly nocturnal animals that avoid people and pose no real danger to humans. They can occasionally take small poultry or raid bird feeders, and in some areas they shelter in lofts or outbuildings, which can be a nuisance. They are not a threat to cats or dogs, and conflicts are usually best resolved by securing food and blocking access points rather than by harming the animal.

## What do pine martens eat?
Pine martens are opportunistic omnivores. Their diet includes small mammals such as voles and mice, birds and their eggs, insects, frogs and carrion. In late summer and autumn they also eat large amounts of berries and fruit, which can make up a major part of their diet. This flexible, seasonal feeding lets them thrive in woodland, conifer forest, scrub and rocky habitats across their range.

## Where do pine martens live?
Pine martens are found across much of Europe and into western Asia, including parts of the Caucasus and the Middle East. They favour woodland and forest with plenty of cover, including conifer and mixed woods, but also use scrub and rocky ground. In Britain their stronghold has long been the Scottish Highlands, with populations now spreading into England and Wales and an expanding range in Ireland.