The UK is home to seven species of mustelid, a family of small carnivorous mammals that have colonised five continents and mastered life underground, up trees and in water. They are shy creatures and mostly active at night, which makes them tricky to spot and harder to identify.
Want to find out more about mustelids?
- How to tell the difference between an otter and a mink
- How to tell the difference between a stoat and a weasel
- Separating fact from fiction: badgers and hedgehog decline
- Otters of the world
- 7 fascinating facts about giant otters
More mammal ID:
Main image: Mark Hamblin/Getty