Home ranges and movement patterns in a vulnerable polecat Mustela putorius population

Home range characteristics and movement patterns of four female and six male polecats Mustela putorius Linnaeus, 1758 were studied in Luxembourg using radio-telemetry. Home range size of polecats ranged from 42 to 428 ha with an average of 181 ha. The mean (+/- SE) home range size of males of (246 +/- 45 ha) was significantly larger than that of females (84 +/- 17 ha). Polecats concentrated 50% of their space use in only 15% of their home range possibly indicating a patchy environment. Comparing our data with other studies in Europe, polecats seem to occupy approximately the same home range size (except in Switzerland) regardless of population density. Average distance traveled per night by males was 3.6 times greater than that of females. Also, seasonal variation in movements was observed in males but not in females.