Local wildlife knowledge?

[Tugmistress]

Anyone have a half decent knowledge of local wildlife? ... i could do with some help at an ID.
Just got back from wick coming via castletown, just before castletown coming down the hill, 'something' ran out into the road in front of me and i ran over it with the centre of the car not the wheels. I stopped and turned round to see what it was and if it was alive and to see what it was as i didn't have a clue but it was gone so i guess it has a headache rather than anything serious (it's a 4x4 so high under the centre of the car).
this 'thing' is best described as ferret like in shape though a lot chunkier, about body length of about 24 - 30" and moved like a ferret too though as it is a lot chunkier in build the arch back when running was not quite as pronounced. It looked like a dark chocolate colour but i couldn't even tell you if it had a tail or not! nose not as pointed as a ferret it was more rounded, eyes gave off no reflection so probably forward facing not sideways facing.

anyone any clues? i am intrigued.

[DeHaviLand]

Possibly a pine marten

[NickInTheNorth]

at that sort of size it sounds like a pine marten, or possibly an otter

But I don't know if there are any pine martens up here.

Given that your were approaching an area with a water course good possibility of an otter

[scorrie]

Anyone have a half decent knowledge of local wildlife? ... i could do with some help at an ID.
Just got back from wick coming via castletown, just before castletown coming down the hill, 'something' ran out into the road in front of me and i ran over it with the centre of the car not the wheels. I stopped and turned round to see what it was and if it was alive and to see what it was as i didn't have a clue but it was gone so i guess it has a headache rather than anything serious (it's a 4x4 so high under the centre of the car).
this 'thing' is best described as ferret like in shape though a lot chunkier, about body length of about 24 - 30" and moved like a ferret too though as it is a lot chunkier in build the arch back when running was not quite as pronounced. It looked like a dark chocolate colour but i couldn't even tell you if it had a tail or not! nose not as pointed as a ferret it was more rounded, eyes gave off no reflection so probably forward facing not sideways facing.

anyone any clues? i am intrigued.

Perhaps an Otter? Tarka closer look next time to be sure ;)

[Thumper]

Pine martin I would think...could be an otter..but doubt it x

[Tugmistress]

certainly not a pine marten, too big for one of those, otter is a distinct possibility but the only other one i have seen was a decomposing carcass on dunnet beach :roll: not really great for comparison lol

[hell raizer]

sounds like an otter, i've never heard of pine martens here.

[Tugmistress]

lol scorrie, nice one!

ok it looks like it was an otter, thanks folks! hopefully it's just got a headache as the ground clearance is high on the truck and the wheels missed it :)

[thebigman]

There are certainly otters down on Castletown beaches, have had one down at the caravn site end pinch my bait!

[buggyracer]

id say a pine martin ive seen a few up here not too far from where you seen this animal, they are bigger than you would think at first i thought otter until i got about 15 foot away and it just sat on the road looking back at me.

[Don Quixote]

I agree with it being a pine martin, I've had them in my garden. Otters can be quite large. A few years ago one was caught in a fish trap on Loch Calder and it measured 5 ft from nose to tip of tail.

[Tugmistress]

I agree with it being a pine martin, I've had them in my garden. Otters can be quite large. A few years ago one was caught in a fish trap on Loch Calder and it measured 5 ft from nose to tip of tail.

I would say it was around 3ft total body length including head, so unless a pine marten is that big then i am going with an otter.

[Happy Gilmour]

I am submitting this for a friend (or so he says)

In the county, he reckons, there is a few pole cat ferrets, this would fit your description perfectly. (so he says)

He says "Check it out on a search on the web"

I have no input to these comments these are solely his!!!

I think it's a wild cat.....

[Blondie]

From your description, I'd say its a Polecat.

[Boozeburglar]

I have seen weasels, stoats, polecat (allegedly unknown in Scotland according to some), feral ferrets, otters, pine martins, all in Caithness. Pine Martins were not uncommon twenty odd years ago when I was really doing some watching.

Badgers I have not seen unfortunately, though I have seen them in Sutherland.

Sounds like an otter, though certainly a large Pine Martin is near three feet.

[buggyracer]

if it was an otter you would know about it, im convinced from your description its a pine martin.

[r.rackstraw]

Probably an otter.
Pine Martens are very scarce in Caithness and they are smaller than 3 foot.
Polecat Ferrets are smaller still.

[scorrie]

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/pine_marten.shtml

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/otter.shtml

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/wildcat.shtml

Some info on the main suspects. Take your pick!!

[Tugmistress]

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/pine_marten.shtml (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/pine_marten.shtml)

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/otter.shtml (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/otter.shtml)

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/wildcat.shtml (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/wildcat.shtml)

Some info on the main suspects. Take your pick!!

thanks scorrie, out of that lot definately an otter!
and yes i did know about hitting it even though it was down the centre of the car, hit the sump guard and further back making two rather loud bumps.