Dressing - Chaar Kusen, Sasyk Kusen

Vormela peregusha Guld. (in Kyrgyz: чаар кусон)

In appearance, the Vormela resembles the forest and steppe ferrets but is a smaller species than they are, with a body length of 29 to 38 cm and a tail length of 15 to 22 cm. The weight of adult Vormelas ranges from 370 to 730 g.

The body structure of Vormelas features an elongated narrow torso and short legs, typical of many weasel-like animals. The upper part of the body is colored in dark brown tones and covered with yellow spots and stripes.

The underside of the body is black. Notably, their snout is black and white, with the white areas around the mouth and a wide stripe extending from the ears to the eyes, while the rest is black. The ears of Vormelas are extraordinarily large. The tail is fluffy with a black tuft.

They feed on various small animals—ground squirrels, sand rats, mice, and voles. Their prey can include lizards or large insects. Land cultivation has led to the Vormela disappearing from the Chuy and Talas valleys and most areas adjacent to the Fergana Valley. Currently, they have survived in the uncultivated steppes and semi-deserts of the Jalal-Abad region. They are also found along the Kazakh bank of the Chu River, where large areas of uncultivated steppes still remain.

Listed in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan.

Red Book