The polecat, Mustela putorious, is a European member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, which includes stoats, mink, otters, badgers and wolverines. It is the ancestor of the domestic ferret. It is not a skunk, though the species are related. The raccoon, Procyon lotor, is a North American animal belonging to the family Procyonidae, which includes coatis, ringtails, olingos, kinkajous and the red panda.