Polecats or Penguins

A Lot of our stories are often about our penguins and their rehabilitation and releases, so we are going to be sticking with the black and white theme, but today it isn’t penguins…….

In October 2024 , we received these two little polecat brothers for rehabilitation from Cape Nature. They came from the Calitzdorp area where it was believed their mother was sadly probably run over by a car. So making sure they are released into a similar, but safer environment for them is important for their survival.

As you can see by their photo they have markings in black and white similar to that of a piano keyboard. And that was where their names came from, PIA & NO. What is impressive is that even though they are black and white which is very different to their surroundings, their aposematic colouring actually helps keep them safe. Predators often see distinctive markings as a warning that their prey may be distasteful. Similar to that of a yellow and black wasp.

Displaying quite different personalities, PIA was the braver one, and very inquisitive. NO, on the other hand, was feisty and preferred to be hidden away a lot of the time.  They have thrived in rehabilitation and have spent the last month in a large pre-release enclosure having to find their own shelter and forage for tit-bits as they learn about their environment and fine tune their hunting skills. We feed them once a day, and hide it in different places every evening, so that they learn they need to find their own food.

In Afrikaans, Polecats are called “Stinkmuishond” which translated literally means Smelly Mouse Dog!  They do have a naturally musky smell, but can emit a foul odour when stressed and as a deterrent against predators. Which our vet Dr Brendan Tindall from Robberg Vets soon found out when they went for their vet check. When NO was picked up to be assessed and weighed, he  sprayed Dr Brendan to let him know that as cute as polecats are, they are not to be underestimated. They are also  ferocious little predators themselves.

They are almost ready to start the next stage of their transition back to the wild and adjust to the harsher climate of karoo before the cold sets in for winter.
They have been incredible to raise. And will be missed very much. We have so many photos and videos to share with you of their time with us, so make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see their updates.