The Weasel
The weasel is a mammal fro the Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Subfamily: Mustelinae Genus: Mustela Species: 16 (found world wide except for Antarctica and Australia). 10 species have weasel as a common name, whilst others are referred to stoat. ermine, polecats or ferrets. The weasel is often maligned and misunderstood. In general the weasel is considered a “pest” and yet their most common prey is mice.
The weasels that are found in the Americas are: the long tailed, the least-tailed, the tropical, Columbian and the black footed ferret. Three species of true weasels live in North America.
Weasels can vary in length from between 6 and 14 ins and usually have a light brown coat with white under belly and the tail can be black tipped. They possess long slender bodies to enable to access their prey from burrows. The length of the tail can vary between species, but generally, they are between 8.5 to 18 ins long. The average weasel weighs approx. 7ozs.
Weasels feed on small mammals however in former times they were considered “vermin” because they preyed upon commercially grown poultry and rabbits. The weasel that preys upon mice, birds, rabbits and rats is predominantly nocturnal. These creatures are extremely agile.
Long-tailed weasels occupy diverse habitats throughout Central America and the U.S. They prefer patchy landscapes of mixed habitats that are intersected by streams or small rivers. The smaller short-tailed weasel or ermine is found in heavily forested areas of the north-eastern states, the upper Midwest and north-western forested areas and Canada. The smallest of the weasels is the “Least Weasel” and he has been given the title of America’s smallest carnivore.
The pelts of all 3 weasels are considered brownish and are replaced by a winter white coat. The long and short tail weasels have a black tip on their tails: supposedly to confound predators such as eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, and lynx. The weasels secrete from their anal gland a pungent “musk” odor to repel or nauseate predators.
Weasels are sexually mature at 1 year of age and a typical litter consists of 6 or 7 young born each year and cared for by both its parents. Weasels are considered mature if they reach 5 to 6 years of age and they have the capacity to live to 10 years of age.
The conservation status of the weasel in the Americas is listed as of “Least Concern.”
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