QUESTION FOR THE ZOOLOGY EXPERTS

[Potoooooooo]

Just what the heck is this critter?

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[bilby]

They look like Japanese Martens - Martes Melampus.

Cute little buggers, aren't they?

 

[J842P]

They look like Japanese Martens - Martes Melampus.

Cute little buggers, aren't they?

It definitely looks like some sort of Mustelid. I think you are probably right about it being a Japanese Marten.

 

[Malintent]

Northern Martens are hunted (trapped) for their pelts... they must be pretty cuddly.

 

[Peez]

Definitely a Mustellid, I couldn't tell you which.

Peez

 

[untermensche]

The info on the pictures brings you to the website for the Akita Omoriyama Zoo in Japan.

Apparently this zoo successfully bred a Japanese marten in 1994 which was the first time it was done in captivity in Japan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akita_Omoriyama_Zoo

 

[barbos]

I think it's mammal

 

[J842P]

A Google reverse-image search of the second image results in Japanese Marten. Google has spoken. It is so!

 

[EricK]

A Google reverse-image search of the second image results in Japanese Marten. Google has spoken. It is so!

This page:http://www.raskbb.com/sybilsden/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=8998 has some of the same pictures on and seems to claim that it is a Japanese marten.