S The least weasel is the smallest carnivore of all. It is so rarely observed that few people recognize when they have seen one in the wild. (Adobe Stock Photo) ightings of carnivores are some of the most exciting wildlife experiences because bears, wild cats and members For many people in Wyoming, their carnivore of the weasel family are more rare sightings include things like a mountain lion dashing through car headlights, a wolf trotting across a distant than plant-eaters like deer, rabbits slope in the Absarokas or a wolverine traversing a talus field in the Wind River Mountains. These are and squirrels. They also instill standout experiences, lifelong reminders of how wild parts of our state remain. within us a certain caution and However, the rarest carnivore sightings involve species people may not recognize. These carnivorans are foreboding because our genes tell species we rarely see in Wyoming with only a handful of documented sightings. In some cases, we can only us that wild carnivores - especially guess how they came to be there. Observations of these species, when accompanied by physical evidence like those larger than us - are to a photograph or preserved specimen, make important contributions to scientific knowledge of the species in be respected. Wyoming. Researchers are keenly interested in these rarest carnivores and take note when new documentation of their distributions arrive. 20 | March 2021