Ferrets and martens don't look alike for nothing: they belong to the same family. In principle, every ferret is a marten. Find out below why this is the case and what makes the animals different.
Ferrets and martens look very similar - but the face outlined in white gives away the ferret
A ferret is in marten
The term "marten" (mustelidae) actually means the family of martens, which includes the "real marten" (martens) and the ferret (Mustela putorius furo), stoats, badgers, mink, otters and weasels. Beech marten or pine marten belong to the "real martens", which in turn belong to the marten family. Thus, ferrets and martens are related, which results in some similarities.
Differences and similarities between ferrets and mustelids
When it comes to martens, most people probably think of the stone marten, which likes to mess around with people. Therefore, in the following we will compare the ferret with the beech marten: beech martens are only slightly larger and heavier than ferrets, have rounded ears, a pointed face and beady eyes. The rump and tail also look very similar. So what are the differences between martens and ferrets?
| stone marten | ferret | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Dark face, white spot on neck | Dark area around the eyes, the rest of the face is white |
| body length (with tail) | 62 - 84cm | 48 - 80cm |
| coat color | Brown | brown to whitish yellow, also pure white |
| nutrition | omnivore | carnivore |
| habitat | On rocks or meadows, often close to people | No natural habitat as it is a cultivated form |
| Life expectancy | 3 - 10 years in the wild, up to 18 years as a pet | 7 - 10 |
marten or ferret?
If you see an animal in nature and wonder if it is a marten or a ferret, it is definitely a marten, as there are no ferrets in the wild. But if you want to make sure it's not an escaped ferret, look at the face: Only ferrets - or raccoons - have a raccoon-like mask around their eyes; Martens have a purely dark face and only a light spot on their neck.