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Suffolk Polecat Survey

A polecat looks directly at the camera from between two old tree trunks
© Helen Haden

The Polecat (Mustela putorius) was once widespread across Britain but was driven close to extinction by persecution, retreating to Wales and parts of Scotland. Over recent decades, it has been recolonising eastwards, and there is now good evidence of a population re-establishing itself in Suffolk. Run in partnership with the Suffolk Mammal Group, this survey complements the national monitoring effort by the Vincent Wildlife Trust and helps build a detailed picture of where Polecats are now occurring in the county. Your sightings – dead or alive – are all valuable, as is any information that helps distinguish true Polecats from ferret hybrids.

Record a sightingSee all records

 

Polecat survey

Personal details

Please provide your first name

Please provide your surname

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Please provide your email. This will only be used to contact you if we require further information to verify the record.

 

Enter the recorder's name

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Select the date of the record.

A couple of points for submitting photos:
1) The picture/video freeze frame should ideally include the full body, including paws and a close up of the face.
2) A cautionary safety note that extreme care should be taken when taking photos of RTA's on roads.

More occurrence information
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How certain are you of your observation

 

If anyone helped with the identification please enter their name here

Please provide any other information about the record which you think will be useful.

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Provide the name of the site. Do not enter a postal address as the information you provide will be visible to others. Start typing a parish name to use the parish autocomplete function.

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Enter a grid reference

Or simply click on your rough position on the map.


Photos of Polecats by Martin Hancock taken at British Wildlife Centre

Click to download
Identifying polecats Identifying polecats