Like everyone, the scenes of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan have left me shell shocked and now, with the problems at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, it makes you wonder when enough is enough for the poor country.

I don’t know anyone who lives in the affected region but the tragedy was made more personal when I got an email from someone telling me that he couldn’t contact a vet, Dr Yuji Matsuda, whose house was apparently on the coastline in Sendai, the worst affected area by the tsunami. Dr Matsuda is listed as a ferret savvy vet on my page on Japanese vets and the thought of his house being right in the path of the tsunami made the hairs on my arms stand up with horror.

Tracy, a ferret owner in NSW, very kindly sent me the link to this news article which was about a stoat that had been trapped in the grille of a BMW being driven on a country road at night in Lincolnshire.

Apparently the driver swerved to avoid a hedgehog on the road and as he did, he noticed a pair of startled eyes staring at him in his BMW’s headlights.

He said he didn’t feel a bump so assumed he’d missed the animal and continued on his way home.

If I had to pick another mustelid other than a ferret to fall madly in love with, it would definitely be an ermine!

I was watching this video clip and thought how great it’d be to be able to have a pet like that. I’ve always been fascinated at how big ermines’ eyes seem to be — way bigger than a black-eyed white’s eyes. And that sweet little dark nose! At least this one didn’t have a tree growing out of the top of its head – hahaha!

Again, why do people have such a problem with little carnivores being carnivores? You’ll see the poor little sable being referred to as a “killer” – and yet, there is no explanation on how the creature will survive if it doesn’t kill to eat!
* sigh *

Anyway, it’s an interesting article about various mustelids in Japan so well worth reading

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
WILD WATCH
SABLES AND THEIR ILK
Cuteness belies killers’ true nature
By MARK BRAZIL

Movement in the snow; the surface bulges, bursts, and out pops a creamy-faced creature with round black eyes like tiny beads and a stare that seems to say “I can kill.”