Life is difficult when you are small

Stankowich et al. 2014. Evolution doi 10.1111/evo.12356 (2014).Small predatory mammals in the order Carnivora are often subject to high rates of predation. A global scale analysis indicates that their adaption against predation comes under two categories: small carnivores that tend to be solitary, with warning coloration (i. e. skunks) and armed with foul smelling anal sprays, or social such as the mongooses and highly vigilant. Species with noxious sprays such as skunks tend to be nocturnal and are often preyed upon by mammals, whereas the social species such as mongooses tend to be diurnal, highly vigilant and are preyed upon by birds of prey.