Lesser Grison

About the Lesser Grison

The lesser grison (Galictis cuja) is a species of mustelid from South America. Lesser grisons have a long, slender body, short legs, and a bushy tail. They have a long neck and a small head with a flattened forehead and rounded ears. They are smaller than the closely related greater grison, with a head-body length of 27 to 52 cm (11 to 20 in) and a tail 14 to 19 cm (5.5 to 7.5 in) long. Adults weigh from 1.2 to 2.4 kg (2.6 to 5.3 lb). Females are slighter smaller and more slender than males.

The top of the head, the back and flanks, and the tail have coarse black guard hairs with buff-coloured tips over a softer undercoat, giving them a grizzled, greyish colour. The remainder of the body is black or nearly so, apart from a pale, buff-coloured stripe running from the forehead to the shoulders along the lower margin of the grey furred area. The feet are webbed, with five toes ending in sharp, curved claws.

Lesser grisons are found throughout most of southern South America from sea level to as high as 4,200 m (13,800 ft) elevation. They are found in a wide range of habitats, although generally near water, including grasslands, forests,... Wikipedia →