This was from my very first 'zoo trip' (as opposed to normal holidays that I went to a few zoos on) to the 2002 Zoohistorica event in Wuppertal. How time flies!
I enjoyed Overloon much more the first time - it all felt very generic, and overpriced, when I went back in 2009 (albeit with the occasional nice touch).
A
amateur
It's not "weasel". It is the member of "polecats". There are wild and experimental hybrids between M.sibirica and M.eversmanni between M.sibirica and M.putorius (and with domestic "furo" too)
The English name is still 'Siberian Weasel', though! The name 'weasel' is used for quite few mustelids that are not even Mustela species - there is no consistency in English names for any mustelid clades outside of badgers and otters.
A
amateur
Yes, and not the exact name in English exactly creates a porridge in the minds of non-specialists and specialists too.
At least English names stay the same (as do names in other languages too of course). They are not changed, unchanged, rechanged and generally argued over by opinionated splitters and lumpers.
Thank you dear Miguari! Actually with "teledu" same problems (in Russian). Only the clade of different species to this or that family is the result of more or less mixed cereals in the heads of experts. Today patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus) in Mustelidae - tomorrow probably will be in Mephitidae... Now "teledu" in Mephitidae, tomorrow perhaps all badgers will in one subfamily... Increasingly, forget about the basic criterion of a species - the ability to reproduce ... Maybe now call "family" - for the union of the two males???
If Mustela sibirica is the "weasel", so in that time polecat (M.putorius) and steppe polecat (M.eversmanni) and european mink (M.lutreola) are "weasels" too…
Then who are the M. nivalis, M. frenata, M. altaica (without M.erminea)? - are weasels.
At least English names stay the same (as do names in other languages too of course). They are not changed, unchanged, rechanged and generally argued over by opinionated splitters and lumpers.
Well, unfortunately for many who work with large carnivores - somebody less Martens - all are weasels...
If "lumpers and splitters" it's good, but it is the prerogative of the Latin names. For English names would obviously be better (more correctly) take the local names (if it were). Unfortunately now it is not so important probably... M. sibirica have good name "kolonok". If you want to pass a value in English -it is "Siberian polecat"...
I've heard of people being against splitting and reclassification of groups, but I've never heard the accusation that "splitters" are porridge-brained mixed cereals before
