Steppe Polecat

The steppe polecat, also called the white or masked polecat, is a light yellowish mustelid with dark limbs and a dark mask across the face. It has a short tail, about a third of the body length, and a heavier, more massive skull than the European polecat. It looks very like the North American black-footed ferret, but has much longer, softer fur and shorter ears. Males measure 32–56 cm in body length and females 29–52 cm (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is native to Central and Eastern Europe and to Central and East Asia. The Wikipedia account gives no information on India, and its occurrence here is uncertain, so nothing about India can be stated. Across its range it is a nomad that stays in one place only until its main prey, ground squirrels, is used up, and it takes larger prey than the European polecat, including pikas and marmots. Mating is from March to May, and litters are three to six kits (Wikipedia, general species account).