Help identifying an animal

Penny1624

I am hoping that someone from here might be able to answer a question for me. I have recently seen an animal in my garden a few times and I have no idea what it is. It is difficult to even describe it but I will do my best. I would consider it's body to be a similar shape to that of a weasel. It's tail is quite thick, not bushy. And it's head is rather large in comparison to the rest of it's body and it has large ears which I would consider mouse-shaped. I know this description isn't very clear but I only ever get a fleeting glance at it as it runs into the bushes. It isn't a squirrel or a pole-cat as we regularly have them in our garden so I can easily recognise them.
I know my description isn't very clear but if anyone could shed any light on this I would really appreciate it. I live in South Galway if that is of any help.

Alun

A mink, maybe?

Penny1624

I considered that but the ears are much bigger than those of a mink.

Alun

It doesn't really tie in with your description of it's tail, but a pine marten then? http://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/PineMarten.html

Gran Hermano

Stoat?

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

Alun

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Stoat?

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

What everyone else calls stoats are called weasels in Ireland .. we don't have actually have 'real' weasels which are much smaller animals altogether, and the OP already said it wasn't a weasel (i.e. stoat!).

Penny1624

Alun wrote: »

It doesn't really tie in with your description of it's tail, but a pine marten then? http://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/PineMarten.html

We get a lot of pine martins here, we've even had one come down our chimney and it's definitely not one of them.
Thanks for all the suggestions though

Penny1624

I have been googling all evening and the best description I can give of it is that it has a head like a jerboa and a body like a weasel.
It's really bugging me. My family think I am seeing things:pac:

Alun

Penny1624 wrote: »

I have been googling all evening and the best description I can give of it is that it has a head like a jerboa and a body like a weasel.

Sorry, I couldn't help it

Penny1624

That's him exactly.
Looks like a hare/weasel hybrid lol

AlanSparrowhawk

I'm sorry. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are any Polecats in Ireland. Certainly not wild. Next you say you've seen plenty of pine martens and one came down your chimney? Well you're very lucky to see them so often.

I'm not being silly but you've ruled out a cat yes? And a fox? And a dog? sorry I need to ask.

There are few native animals it can be.

Pine Marten
Stoat
Rat
Badger
otter
Fox
Hare
Rabbit


introduced/escaped pets etc.

cat
dog
mink
fennec fox

other

OpenYourEyes

Id be very surprised if whatever it is hasnt been mentioned already in this thread, unless as the poster above me said, that its a very unusual animal that escaped from captivity

Penny1624

AlanSparrowhawk wrote: »

I'm sorry. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are any Polecats in Ireland.

My apologies, I was under the impression that a pine martin and a pole cat were the same thing just different names for it.

AlanSparrowhawk wrote: »

Next you say you've seen plenty of pine martens and one came down your chimney? Well you're very lucky to see them so often.

We had regular occurences of an animal coming down the chimney at night so my Dad set a humane trap and caught a pine martin which was released back into the wild.
They have also killed my Granny's hens a few times so I can assure you we have regularly come across them.

I am just going to presume that my eyes were playing tricks on me now as none of the animals suggested are what I thought I saw.

Thanks for the help from everyone though

AlanSparrowhawk

leave a camera beside the window you never know you might be able to get a snap. what size is this mystery animal?

gerky

Polecat and pine marten are different animals, we don't have native polecats, we do unfortunatly have feral populations of ferrets where they have either been released or are escapees from hunters,pets ect.

As to what it is that you saw, I really can't think of anything what would fully match you description, could be a pet of some kind escaped/released also don't discount certain animals as even an animal that your familiar with can look very different.

Take the red squirrel for example,
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/1566897591_1d3930c0a5_m.jpg
http://www.monaghan.ie/websitev2/images/heritage/2008/WildLifePoll/RedSquirrel.jpg
http://www.wicklownationalpark.ie/images/mammalsredsquirrelweb.jpg
http://www.woodstock.ie/images/red_squirrel.jpg

The same animal but very big variations depending on area, time of year, health, ect...

So I guess just keep your eyes peeled and your camera ready:)