New Breed: The Little Monsters
Weasels, badgers, skunks and otters
a new Changing Breed by Otterpooka
"Come here. I can't quite see you clearly. Come closer, let me have a ... TASTE!" |
The Little Animal that Could
The weasel is perhaps the least known, most maligned and most accomplished predator for its size. Weasel is considered a rude thing to call someone, because it means they are sly, sneaky and treacherous. To weasel is to be evasive, slippery and ambiguous. To the little monsters none of these things are necessarily a bad thing.
To those familiar with weasels, whether domestic such as pet ferrets, skunks (descented of course) and tayras, or wild (weasels, wolverines, martens, fishers, otters, badgers, skunks, wolverines and others) the whole group is known for tenacity, curiosity, cleverness, and fearlessness.
Weasels are in fact the smallest group of carnivores, many hunting prey that is several times their size. They exhibit high levels of cunning, instinct, agility, strength and speed. Almost all of them exemplify the traits attributed to being a "weasel" or to "weasel" out of something, but without the negative connotations.
Amongst this group are the:
- Wolverine: One of the most tenacious and cunning animals. Wolverines have been knnown to spring trappers baited traps, successfully taking the bait, and repeating the progress until all of the traps have been disarmed.
- Honey Badger (Ratel): In the Guiness Book of World Records (2002 Edition) as the Most Fearless Animal, the honey badger isn't bothered by anything, including being bit by cobras while killing them.
- Skunk: The most avoided animal in the forest as every animal knows what they get if they mess with one. Only large owls (which don't have a sense of smell and eat skunks) and the fast moving monsters with a pair of glowing white eyes don't avoid them.
- Giant River Otter: The only animal to complete successfully with caiman (South Americal crocodilians) in the Amazon and the largest of the weasel family, reaching 6 feet in length. Also the only mustelids to form and operate in packs.