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Small Carnivores
The mustelids are the largest family in this group, consisting of weasels, otters, and badgers, with the badgers falling into three different subfamilies. A few species are extremely common in captivity due to the fur and exotic pet trades, and others are gaining popularity. The American mink, a type of weasel, is farmed for its fur throughout the United States, with the majority of farmed mink living in Wisconsin, the industry's stronghold. Millions of mink are killed every year for fur coats, before they reach their first birthdays. Wild mink are active hunters, spending a great deal of time in the water; they also climb trees quite adeptly. At fur farms, mink live their short lives in tiny cages, where they receive no enrichment, a toxic diet, and a certain death. Mink farmers claim that they raise "domestic mink," a distinct species from the wild mink found throughout North America, however there is no scientific evidence supporting this claim, and when pressed, proponents of fur farming have been forced to admit the truth. A second mink species does exist, the European mink, but it is used less in the fur trade due to its smaller size. Other mustelid species persecuted by the fur trade include the sable, ermine, pine marten, fisher, the river otter, and the European polecat. (Click here to read more about fur farming.)
Mustelid species that are not farmed for their fur are often trapped or hunted. The sea otter was wiped out across much of its range for its dense, soft fur; it is now legally protected throughout its range, but it remains under threat from poaching and oil spills. Unlike hunting, trapping is not species-specific, and claims the lives of more non-target animals, including endangered species and family pets, than it does those animals being deliberately sought. Larger mustelids, like the wolverine and the American badger, are known for raiding traps and eating the animals they contain; for this reason, they are villainized by fur trappers and frequently shot on sight. These animals occasionally find their way into the wildlife trade as well, but their mean reputations afford them a certain degree of protection from 'alternative pet' owners. The honey badger, found in Africa, the Middle East, and India, is considered by some to be the 'meanest' animal in the world, but like so many other species, if it can be found in a zoo, it's a safe bet that someone, somewhere in the US, is trying to make it into a pet.
The European polecat is the predecessor of the domestic ferret; pet trade proponents are quick to cite the differences between domestic ferrets and their wild descendants, stating that ferrets have smaller brains and more 'tame' behavior. Some authors go so far as to say that the domestic ferret is so distinct from its wild ancestors that it is in fact more 'domesticated' than domestic dogs and cats. Exotic pet breeders, dealers, and fur farmers continually try to establish the animals they exploit as domestic species in an attempt to disguise the true nature of their businesses. While it is true that the ferrets found in the pet trade exhibit certain morphological differences from the European polecat, the two animals readily interbreed, and so-called domestic ferrets are quite capable of naturalizing and forming feral populations. Unlike domestic dogs and cats, the ferret's path to domestication has not been linear; in various locations and at different points throughout human history, wild ferrets have been captured and propagated in captivity, usually for rodent control, and in most cases, those captive bloodlines were not perpetuated over the long term. Another distinction between ferrets and more traditional companion carnivores is that dogs and cats have voluntarily associated with human beings in a symbiotic relationship, whereas ferrets have not. The various color morphs seen in pet trade ferrets are merely another smokescreen; physical traits that would be liabilities to wild animals are often perpetuated in captivity for their aesthetics, but they are not evidence of a distinct, domestic species. Perhaps the greatest testament to the ferret's inherent wildness is the presence of scent glands, prompting many owners to opt for 'de-scenting' (the surgical removal of the glands), or to invest in numerous odor eliminating products.
While not as popular as ferrets, the number of striped skunks in captivity is growing. Like ferrets, captive skunks come in different color morphs, and like ferrets, skunks have scent glands, but the skunks' odor is for more offensive, so 'pet' skunks must always have their glands removed. Throughout the country, skunk owners show off their animals at skunk shows, where they parade them in front of judges and dress them in elaborate costumes. Between the surgeries and the dress-up, it is clear that pet skunk proponents are determined to make the animals something other than what they truly are. It comes as no surprise that, like mink farmers and ferret breeders, skunk owners are eager to call their animals 'domestic', clearly a false distinction. Other members of the family Mephitidae are sometimes found in captivity, but not with the frequency of the striped skunk.
The Procyonidae include the familiar raccoon, and a number of species less known to North Americans. Raccoons are common in both rural and urban areas, and many people make the mistake of trying to keep them as pets. Curious, strong-willed, intelligent, and armed with opposable thumbs, raccoons can create chaos in the home, stealing jewelry and silverware, ransacking kitchens, and biting people and pets. Raccoon bites left untreated can produce fatal infections, and despite their size, they have been known to sever human fingers. In some states, even the treatment of injured raccoons by licensed rehabilitators is illegal, as they are considered the harborers of rabies and other diseases. Fortunately, this is not the case in the state of Washington.
Similar to the raccoon, the coatimundi, or coati for short, exhibits behavior similar to that of many primates. Wild coatis are found from the southern United States through Central and South America, where they usually forage in family groups, and like monkeys, they engage in social grooming. They are popular in captivity, but captive coatis rarely receive the socialization they need for appropriate mental health, and their diverse nutritional needs frequently go unmet. Commercial pet foods are not sufficient for the dietary needs of coatis or other members of the raccoon family, but many exotic animal owners use such products as the staple of their animals' diets, resulting in poor health and a shortened lifespan.
The kinkajou has been made famous in recent history as the animal that bit wealthy heiress, professional snob, and poor role model, Paris Hilton. The bite from her pet kinkajou made news headlines and continues to spawn commentary on the internet. It seems that even the wealthy are not exempt from the laws of nature. Experienced animal caretakers know that being bitten on occasion is
part of the job, and is certainly not newsworthy, but this high profile incident is yet another demonstration of the unsuitability of wild animals as pets. Kinkajous are still fairly expensive in the exotic animal trade, but their prices are coming down as they become more commonly available. Similar procyonids, the olingos, are also captured in the wild for the animal trade, and find their way into the United States by both legal and illegal means.
The red panda is considered by some to be a member of Procyonidae, while others place it in its own family, Ailuridae. It was once thought to be a close relative of the giant panda, but this view has not persisted in most scientific circles. Red pandas are highly endangered, found in the Himalayan nations of Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan, and in the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan. Like giant pandas, their diet consists largely of bamboo, but red pandas also eat fruit, bird eggs, and small vertebrates. They are not commonly found in the wild pet trade, but they are increasingly common in zoos, perhaps a sign of things to come.
The civets, family Viverridae, are not as well-known in North America as they are in their native ranges across Asia and Africa. The largest member of the family, the binturong (sometimes called a bearcat), has become a somewhat common target of the wildlife trade; at least one website promotes this Southeast Asian animal as a pet, but encourages binturong owners to have their animals de-clawed. Like all civets, the binturong has scent glands that produce a distinct odor, in this case, one often compared to the smell of corn tortillas. Some owners like the smell, but others opt for surgical de-scenting.
The common palm civet is found throughout much of Southern Asia; it is frequently eaten in China, where it has been implicated in the spread of SARS. In Indonesia, coffee beans passed through the digestive tract of palm civets are used to make Kopi Luwak, the world's most expensive coffee. Several species of civets and linsangs are found throughout Asia, and many are threatened by hunting, habitat loss, and the exotic animal trade. The name 'civet cat' is a misnomer; these animals are not closely related to cats. The ringtail, a North American species, is also sometimes called a civet cat, however it is neither a civet nor a cat, but a member of Procyonidae.
Civets are also common through much of Africa; the African civet, a predominantly terrestrial species, is kept in captivity in Ethiopia and other African nations for its musk, which is used to make perfumes. Civets are housed in tiny cages to facilitate easy capture for musk extraction; the cages are kept in dark rooms, and the rooms are heated to high temperatures using fire, which fills the air with smoke. Civet farmers believe that the animals produce more musk when they are kept warm. Injuries to the animals and their keepers are common, as the musk is extracted by hand, by squeezing the civets' perineal glands. Because they do not breed readily in captivity, the animals used for musk production are typically wild caught; the practice requires a permit in Ethiopia, but the law is seldom enforced. Wildlife dealers can purchase civets in Ethiopia and export them through various means to the United States and other western nations.
The fossa is a member of the Eupluridae family, also called the Malagasy carnivores. In the wild, fossas hunt lemurs and other Madagascar species; they bear some resemblance to mountain lions, however they are smaller, and are more closely related to civets and mongooses. They are not common in captivity, but there is a great deal of interest in this species in zoos, as their wild numbers are low and captive breeding programs are under development.
Finally, the family Herpestidae is made up of the mongooses of Asia and Africa. The small Indian mongoose is well-known as the species introduced in Central and South America, and numerous islands in the Caribbean, the West Indies, the South Pacific, and the Mediterranean. Originally brought in by foolish European settlers to reduce rodent and snake populations, the mongooses now threaten hundreds of native species, thanks to their habit of eating any animal they can catch. The damage done by the small Indian mongoose shows another danger to the wildlife trade, as even small numbers of escaped animals can naturalize and throw the local ecosystem out of balance. In the case of the mongoose, where introduction was deliberate, the damage has been even more extensive.
Another member of the mongoose family, the meerkat, has gained tremendous popularity, thanks in part to its role in a few Disney animated films and cartoons. Recent nature documentaries about meerkats have added to their fame. Behaviorally, meerkats are similar to other grassland-dwelling mongooses, but their distinctive appearance has gained them a special place in the hearts of many animal lovers. Meerkat exhibits at western zoos have great appeal to the public; the animals are active and inquisitive by day, and offer zoo visitors a chance to observe their natural behaviors firsthand. Meerkats are available to exotic pet buyers, but they can be very destructive; their natural inclination to dig has led them to burrow through drywall and destroy gardens. They are also highly social animals, truly lost without their tightly knit family groups, making the keeping of any meerkat without others of its kind a truly cruel situation. As with all wild animals, meerkats are best left in their native habitat.
Posted on January 8, 2007
