Greater Grison

Description:

The greater grison is a species of mustelid native to Central and South America, It is a slender animal with short legs, a long neck, and a short, bushy tail, with a head-body length ranging from 45 to 60 centimeters Adults weigh between 1.5 and 3.8 kilograms The back, flanks, top of the head, and the tail, are grizzled grey in color, while the rest of the body is black. A narrow whitish stripe separates the darker and lighter fur on the head and shoulder. The tail is 14 to 20 centimeters long, the head is flattened and broad, with short, rounded ears, and dark brown to black eyes. The legs are muscular, with five webbed toes, each ending in a sharp, curved claw. They like been close to water, and ussualy defecated in small streams. They are mostly diurnal and terrestrial, but they can climb trees and do well in water, they live alone or in pairs, they spend the night in cavities of trees or into the buttresses, hollow logs or abandoned burrows of other animals. They are omnivorous I have seen them hunting iguanas, rabbits, birds and their eggs, lizards and insects, even that they don’t like been close to humans sometimes they hunted chicken in farms reason why they are killed by the farmers; While hunting, they move in a zigzag pattern, making short bounds and occasionally stopping to look around with their heads raised and sniff the air.

Habitat:

Rainforest form 500 to 2000 meters over sea level

Notes:

In Costa Rica, it is considered endangered (Timm et al. 1989) and is listed on CITES Appendix III (Fuller et al. 1987). but the IUCN have it in the Least Concern (This species is listed as Least Concern because it has a wide distribution and tolerates certain degree of human disturbance. Nevertheless is one of the most common confiscated animals in countries such as Colombia, and confirmed records are scarce throughout its distribution.) Spanish: Grisón, Hurón, Perro de Agua.