European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)

The species has a wide range in Europe, extending east to the Urals. In part of the northern and eastern parts of its range, it appears to be common, widespread and under no major threat despite hunting pressures and for the European regional assessment, the species is listed Least Concern. However, a recent review (Croose et al. 2018) covering 34 countries indicates that declines are known or suspected in 20 countries and many other countries have such limited data that trends could not be identified with confidence. Regarding the EU 27 region, there are declines in parts of the range, in Central, Western and Southern Europe, namely in Germany and Portugal. There are concerns about loss of prey, mortality for unknown reasons, loss of suitable habitat, pollutants affecting reproduction etc. A population decline of 20-25% is suspected in the last one generation and for the next two generations (26 years). Hence the species is listed as Near Threatened as it almost qualifies under criterion A4c. Further monitoring programmes and studies are required on the population trends and threats. The assessment is not adjusted because it is difficult to say if there would be a rescue effect or not and likewise it is unknown if the European population is a sink or not.

Mustela putorius is widespread in the western Palaearctic east to the Ural Mountains in the Russian Federation (absent from Ireland, northern Scandinavia, and much of the Balkans and eastern Adriatic coast). The species occurs only marginally in northern Greece.

Outside of Europe, it is found in Morocco in the Rif Mountains from sea level to 2,400 m (Griffiths and Cuzin 2024).

Feral populations of the domesticated form M. putorius 'furo' (ferret) have become established in a number of areas including northern Britain, some Scottish islands, the Isle of Man (United Kingdom), Texel (Netherlands), some Mediterranean islands, the Azores, and New Zealand (Birks 1999, Clapperton 2001, W. Duckworth in litt. 2006).

The species is common in forested areas of European Russia. In western Europe, the species is scarce, typically occurring at densities of about one individual per 1000 hectares, and rarely exceeding 5-10 individuals per 1,000 hectares even in optimal habitat (Birks 1999). The population appears to be stable only in few eastern and northern parts of its range, and there are reports of declines from several countries in western and central Europe as well as possible regressions in range or quality of habitat for the species (Croose et al. 2018). In Portugal, population numbers have not been quantified, but there is evidence of a steep declining trend and reduced occupancy area (Santos-Reis et al. 2023). In Morocco, Griffiths and Cuzin (2024) suggest that populations may be decreasing. In central Europe, relevant prey species (anures and small mammals) are declining and thus Polecat numbers may also be decreasing (EMA Workshop 2006). Populations in the United Kingdom and Estonia are increasing (Battersby 2005, Croose 2016, Tiit Maran pers. comm. 2006). This increase in the United Kingdom follows a major persecution-driven decline from the 1800s to 1920s, which nearly led to the extinction of the species there (Birks 1999, Battersby 2005, Sainsbury et al. 2019).

A generalist, it is often found in lowland woods in riparian zones and in areas close to farms and villages in the winter; but it also uses wooded steppe, sand dunes, marshes and river valleys, agricultural land, forest edge and mosaic habitats (Birks 1999, Santos-Reis et al. 2023). Mountainous areas above 1,500 m are avoided (Wolsan 1993). It feeds on amphibians, rodents (voles, mice, hamsters), wild rabbits and other vertebrates, and also sometimes on invertebrates and carrion (Wolsan 1993, Birks 1999).

In western and central Europe, it was formerly widely hunted for sport and fur and persecuted as a pest, although this threat has become less serious as the species is now protected in a number of range states and rates of hunting have greatly reduced (Birks 1999). Accidental mortality in car collisions and via increased exposure to secondary rodenticide poisoning is a problem (Birks 1999, Battersby 2005, Sainsbury et al. 2018). Although of an unknown impact in the populations other threats may contribute to present and future declines such as introgression with a domestic ferret (Battersby 2005, Costa et al. 2013) and the susceptibility of the species to pathogens such as canine distemper virus (Heald et al. 2020), already detected in the species (Beineke et al. 2015). Exposure to cumulative environmental toxins, habitat loss or degradation and decline of prey species are considered as key threats in central Europe (Weber 2023). Declines in prey species in Eastern and southern Europe, e.g. hamsters (Nechay 2000) and rabbits in southern Iberia (Delibes-Mateos et al. 2014) may contribute to declines in parts of the range. In European Russia, the species is commonly hunted (A. Abramov pers. comm. 2006). Possible competition with the American Mink may also be a problem.

In western and central Europe, it was formerly widely hunted for sport and fur. In European Russia, the species is commonly hunted (A. Abramov pers. comm. 2006).

It is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive. It is listed on Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (UK). It occurs in several protected areas across its range. Better monitoring of the species is needed, and measures should be taken to reduce hunting pressure and anthropogenic mortality. Restoration of habitats such as marshes, wetlands, banks, woods, groves and hedges can help to connect isolated parts of the population (Weber 2023) in order to prevent introgression. Using pesticides, land occupancy, and the destruction of biotope-types has to be reduced. Restoration of marshes, wetlands, banks, woods, groves and hedges can help to connect isolated parts of the population (Weber 2023). There is also a need to control the release or escape of ferrets into the wild.