African striped weasel
Encyclopedia
The African striped weasel (Poecilogale albinucha), the lone member
of genus
Poecilogale, is a small black and white weasel native to sub-Saharan Africa
. It looks very much like a striped polecat
, but it is much thinner and has shorter hair. It is a sleek, black color with a white tail and four white stripes running down its back. It is 50 centimeters in length on average, including its tail 6of 20 centimeters.
The African striped weasel lives in forests, wetlands, and grasslands. It is a nocturnal hunter of small mammal
s, bird
s, and reptiles. The weasel kills its prey by whipping its own body and kicking, making use of its thin, lithe, muscular body to stun and tear the prey item. It sometimes stores its prey in its burrow
instead of eating it immediately. Like skunk
s and polecats, the weasel emits a noxious fluid from its anal glands when it feels threatened.
The weasel is generally solitary
, but individuals have been found sharing burrows.
According to African folklore if you cut off the nose of a weasel it will grow back two shades lighter in colour, however it will bring misfortune to your family and lead to a poor harvest. This myth gave birth to expression "A weasel's nose is not to be trifled with.
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
of genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Poecilogale, is a small black and white weasel native to sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
. It looks very much like a striped polecat
Striped Polecat
The Striped Polecat is a member of the Mustelidae family which somewhat resembles a skunk. It is found in savannahs and open country in sub-saharan Africa excluding the Congo basin and west Africa.Like other polecats, this carnivore is nocturnal...
, but it is much thinner and has shorter hair. It is a sleek, black color with a white tail and four white stripes running down its back. It is 50 centimeters in length on average, including its tail 6of 20 centimeters.
The African striped weasel lives in forests, wetlands, and grasslands. It is a nocturnal hunter of small mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, and reptiles. The weasel kills its prey by whipping its own body and kicking, making use of its thin, lithe, muscular body to stun and tear the prey item. It sometimes stores its prey in its burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
instead of eating it immediately. Like skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s and polecats, the weasel emits a noxious fluid from its anal glands when it feels threatened.
The weasel is generally solitary
Solitary but social
"Solitary but social" is a type of social organization where individuals forage separately, yet some individuals sleep in the same location or share nests. Female home ranges usually overlap while those of males do not. Males usually do not associate with other males, and male offspring are usually...
, but individuals have been found sharing burrows.
According to African folklore if you cut off the nose of a weasel it will grow back two shades lighter in colour, however it will bring misfortune to your family and lead to a poor harvest. This myth gave birth to expression "A weasel's nose is not to be trifled with.