Distribution and Status of the Polecat (Mustela putorius) in Britain in the 1990s

This report presents the results of five years of survey and research work on the polecat Mustela putorius in Britain. The main sections include a review of previous distribution surveys, the findings of a new distribution survey by The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) from 1993-1997, the development of a method for monitoring polecats, a summary of the relationship between polecats and feral ferrets, and a description of recent studies on polecat ecology in Britain. The work reveals that the polecat’s recolonisation of its former range is continuing, and the report makes recommendations for conservation action.