Global Voices Unofficial Mascot Feared Lost · Global Voices
Allen Smithee

Unidentified sources have questioned whether a certain furry yellow creature will make an appearance at the Global Voices Summit in Santiago, Chile in May, or whether the neon creature has in fact been lost and replaced with an look-alike impostor.
Since February 2009, Global Voices bloggers have jovially passed on the ferret from one country to another, photographing and tweeting his adventures along the way. G.V. Ferret himself took up Twitter and blogging and today has nearly 100 friends on Facebook.
The word “ferret” stems from the word “furittus” in Latin. This means “little thief” and that surely helps explain how the unofficial mascot of Global Voices, Mr. G.V. Ferret, stole the ‘hearts and minds’ of such a prestigious and sophisticated international blogging community.
However,  even in virtual communities – as in many geographic communities – acceptance of ferret pets is not always without opposition. As one United States commenter noted on a Flickr photo of Salvador, the pet dog of GV's managing director:
Awww. He should be GV's mascot instead of that stupid ferret.
Others opposing the unofficial mascot have either favored silent dissent or have engaged in dubious behavior such as forgetting Ferret in unspeakable locations or even letting their cats loose on him. Nonetheless, even those in staunch opposition are usually won over once Ferret works his furry charms, especially in photos and on Facebook.
No doubt it is the threatening behavior against Mr. Ferret that leaves some community members worrying for his safety. On Facebook and on Twitter, the concerned refrain goes, “Where are you G.V. Ferret?” The mascot was last seen in Boston at the beginning of 2010. His next known appearance will be in Santiago in May.