I believe that a study of mustelid taxonomy has postulated quite a close relationship between Tayra and Wolverine. Is it just me who can see it in this photo? BMC Biology | Full text | Multigene phylogeny of the Mustelidae: resolving relationships, tempo and biogeographic history of a mammalian adaptive radiation
Indeed, the link between the Tayra, Wolverine and Fisher is now thought to be close enough that the latter taxon requires splitting out from Martes lest the whole genus be rendered paraphyletic.
this tayra seems quite podgy. Is it the way it is sitting, because it is fat, or maybe pregnant? (I don't know the sexes at the zoo, or which sex this one is).
fat it is then (a fatayra?). With regards to the species appearance in this photo it looks like a tree kangaroo mixed with a sun bear, and then the head of a shaved wolverine attached. I suspect the genetics would not back up my theory though.
The zoo has a pair, so there might be a possibility that it is pregnant, but there is also the possibility that it is just a fat individial
Well it was still very active,with lost of climbing up trees and along branches that didn't really look strong enough to support this "robust" creature. There was another "zoo chatter" who has been since my visit,so maybe they could tell us if any youngsters have been produced since April?
