Dwarf Gorse vs European polecat

Ulex minor compared with Mustela putorius

Key Differences

• Dwarf Gorse is Not Evaluated while European polecat is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dwarf Gorse	European polecat
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Fabaceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Ulex	Mustela
Species	Ulex minor	Mustela putorius

Conservation Status

Dwarf Gorse

NE — Not Evaluated

European polecat

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Dwarf Gorse	European polecat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dwarf Gorse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found across Europe (8 countries).

European polecat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (10 countries) and South America (Brazil, Colombia). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

European polecat

European polecat (Mustela putorius) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden