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Mink or Pine Marten?

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  • 09-09-2011 6:13pm
    #1
    cfitz
    Registered Users Posts: 1,691 ✭✭✭


    Need help with an ID please...

    I was driving on the M8 through Tipperary towards Cork at about 4am one night late last week. I was getting very close to the Cork border and going at about 60-65mph. I dipped my lights because some traffic was approaching on the other carriageway. Suddenly I saw something dash in front of me on the road. It stopped when it noticed me approaching. It looked to turn back but didn't make its mind up. It was in front of the car and very close, so I moved slightly on the road so that hopefully it would pass between the two front wheels of the car rather than be hit by either. I can't say for definite, but I think that this is what happened because I didn't hear or feel any thud (I hope I didn't hurt/kill the poor thing).

    It's hard to give a good description because it was night time and it happened quite quickly. But it was certainly a mustelid and it was dark in colour. It was very very fast. It was fairly small - I was driving an old Suzuki Swift and the clearance is very low, so if I did pass over it without hitting it then it got down quite low to the ground (easy enough for any of the smaller mustelids maybe). I didn't see a light patch on its throat but I couldn't say it definitely wasn't there.

    Any ideas?


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    #2
    LostCovey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    cfitz wrote: »
    Need help with an ID please...

    I was driving on the M8 through Tipperary towards Cork at about 4am one night late last week. I was getting very close to the Cork border and going at about 60-65mph. I dipped my lights because some traffic was approaching on the other carriageway. Suddenly I saw something dash in front of me on the road. It stopped when it noticed me approaching. It looked to turn back but didn't make its mind up. It was in front of the car and very close, so I moved slightly on the road so that hopefully it would pass between the two front wheels of the car rather than be hit by either. I can't say for definite, but I think that this is what happened because I didn't hear or feel any thud (I hope I didn't hurt/kill the poor thing).

    It's hard to give a good description because it was night time and it happened quite quickly. But it was certainly a mustelid and it was dark in colour. It was very very fast. It was fairly small - I was driving an old Suzuki Swift and the clearance is very low, so if I did pass over it without hitting it then it got down quite low to the ground (easy enough for any of the smaller mustelids maybe). I didn't see a light patch on its throat but I couldn't say it definitely wasn't there.

    Any ideas?

    Hard to say, but chances are it was a mink.

    Apart from the chest patch, the bushy tail on the Pine Marten makes an immediate impression (its not a feature you have to look for - you see it!).

    And overall, I always think a Pine Marten, in a snap view, gives you the impression of a cat rather than a mustelid.

    LostCovey


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    #3
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Purely on statistics and location I'd say odds on for a Mink.


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