The family Mustelidae includes weasels, skunks, otters, badgers, and wolverines, as well as ferrets, which are in the genus *Mustela*. There are 17 ferret species, divided into two main categories depending on their biological and geographical characteristics: polecat ferrets and European ferrets.
Here's a list of some well-known ferret species and their geographic distribution:
1. European Ferret (Mustela putorius furo):
- Originated in Europe and North Africa.
- Common as domesticated pets.
2. Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes):
- Found in North America, specifically the Great Plains region of the United States and Mexico.
- Critically endangered species.
3. Siberian Polecat (Mustela eversmanii):
- Native to Eastern Europe and parts of Asia, including Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia.
4. Steppe Polecat (Mustela eversmanii eversmanii):
- Found in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
5. European Polecat (Mustela putorius):
- Distributed throughout Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain.
- Also known as the Common Ferret.
6. Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis):
- The smallest species of the ferret family.
- Found in North America, Europe, and Asia.
7. Siberian Weasel (Mustela sibirica):
- Distributed across Northern Asia, including Russia, China, and Mongolia.
8. Mountain Weasel (Mustela altaica):
- Native to mountainous regions of Central Asia, such as the Himalayas, Tian Shan, and Altai Mountains.
9. Malayan Weasel (Mustela nudipes):
- Found in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra.
10. Indonesian Mountain Weasel (Mustela lutreolina):
- Endemic to the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia.
It's worth mentioning that some ferret species have more specific or limited geographic ranges within the regions mentioned above, and their populations can vary due to factors like habitat loss, hunting, and conservation efforts.