What is this new animal i saw?

New to me anyway. It was about 4am, so is clearly nocturnal. when i first saw it i instantly thought “red roughed lemur” as far as fur look and color, but it was a 4 legger ground animal much like a raccoon in size/shape just with that species of lemur color. the tail shape was flat on the ground, not lemur like, just the color and fur was lemur like. i got about 10’ away before it decided i was scarier to it than i was of it. it appeared to be eating when i came across it. this is at about 1000m elevation in Pingtung county mountains. I wouldn’t go so far as to say remote, but far enough in not to have any farms, but still on a road/trail (the definition of which would depend on the person defining it :smiley: )

any ideas? i dont get to see many cool funky new mammal animals, so this made my night.

Could it have been a civet?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masked_palm_civet

Or this? Color looks right

Red-and-white Giant Flying Squirrel

the civet looks a little off now that i google more, and wrong color. that squirrel looks right and the web says 24" head/body, which is about what this was. about the size of 2 big cats. the tail didnt curl and it didnt stand upright, but im guessing that squirrels can make all sorts of positions. unless there is another mammal here with similar coloration i think it might be that :slight_smile: thanks for the name guys!

Just happened across a stunning shot of one of these guys

freshinfos.com/2012/04/30/giant- … -squirrel/

Awesome. Skeet!

[quote=“Ex Animo”]Could it have been a civet?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masked_palm_civet[/quote]

It does sound like a civet… maybe the red coloration was a trick of the light. They’re pretty common here.

Yes, great pic. WIsh I had skin folds like that, they’d be great for cycling with a tailwind.

I’m rather poor on small mammals. What’s this, just a squirrel?
Rather than letting me scratch [strike]his[/strike] her belly, [strike]he[/strike] she was roadkill (although strangely whole and unsquashed).

I think that’s a female ferret-badger. I found a roadkill one too. The males have black and white markings about the face.

You might be right there. Def not a male, but it does look similar.

You’re a badger.
I’m a ferret!

You’re a badger.
I’m a ferret!

Will you stop badgering me for a minute while I have a ferret around for my ID.

[quote=“headhonchoII”]You’re a badger.
I’m a ferret!

You’re a badger.
I’m a ferret!

Will you stop badgering me for a minute while I have a ferret around for my ID.[/quote]

That reminds me of animal verbs and adjectives:
The road snaked across the valley.
She hared across the courtyard to the toilet.
He looked sheepishly at his fiancee.

I could go on.