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WillemSvdMerwe — Striped Polecat
#african #polecat #striped #zorilla #striatus #ictonyx
Published: 2015-12-16 19:44:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 6585; Favourites: 160; Downloads: 59
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Description
This is the Striped Polecat, or Zorilla, from Africa! Its scientific name is Ictonyx striatus. Though it looks very much like a skunk, it isn't one! It is much more closely related to the African Striped Weasel, and to the Honey Badger. Still, like a skunk, it squirts vile-smelling stuff from its butt when threatened! (Honey badgers and African weasels do that too.) The bold black-and-white fur pattern is a warning to everything and everyone- don't disturb!Related content
Comments: 35
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I wonder ... there are quite a number of extremely stinky mammals out there, wonder how they can be compared?
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Jaw-dropping work! When I first saw the thumbnail I thought it was a photo!
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Oooooo! My favorite animal ^^
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Polecats are such gorgeous animals!
There are a lot more types than I knew (I was checking to see if maybe I'd seen this one in a zoo near me, but I haven't). You've rendered a gorgeous painting of him
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Hi and thanks for the comment! I'd be interested if there were some of these in a zoo anywhere in the world.
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I use a website (zootierliste.de - it's German, but there's an option for English, too) and it's very neat in showing which zoos hold and held which animal.
To be honest, I was pretty sure I'd seen a certain type of Polecat once, in a German zoo, but I don't remember what it was and in which zoo 
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This critter is seriously adorable, I had no idea that these guys existed! 
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I love how fluffy this one looks! You really captured the animal perfectly here, as per usual.
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It could mean that the white-stripe-on-black stinkbomb mammal coloration goes back a long way. The striped possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata) of New Guinea and northeast Australia also sports a similar fur pattern and greets enemies in the same manner. However, it's a marsupial and thus even less closely related to skunks than zorillas are.
(And no worries. My avatar is that of a domesticated striped skunk, which basically means he's just like the wild variety, only un-scent-imental. Sheer non-scents, really.)
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Hi! I didn't know that about the striped possum, looks like I'll have to do some reading and feature a new critter! Thanks or the comment!
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It's interesting how Australia's critters can be so familiar-looking despite their oddness. Then again, perhaps we find the animals we live with so much less odd because we're so used to them.
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Gah! He's so cuuuuute, I love the factoids you put in the description, I'm totally going to wear black and white when I want to be left alone
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Heh heh thanks, sounds good to me!
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It's so adorable! I love the detail in the grass too.
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Thanks a lot! Grass is still very difficult for me.
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Lol it's funny how you ignored both the title and description
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he he yes oops his face seemed to me much of a spotted skunk, don´t speak English so I use the translator
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