Details
Mustela erminea
A small mustelid of forests, grasslands, wetlands, and tundra across the Northern Hemisphere. It has a long body and a black-tipped tail.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Stoats use woodland, meadows, field edges, wetlands, and tundra. Areas with abundant small mammals, burrows, logs, and stone walls are favored.
They are long-bodied with short legs and a black tail tip. In cold regions the winter coat turns white, leaving the black tail tip visible.
They are solitary and patrol large home ranges. Their slender body lets them enter burrows and snow tunnels while pursuing prey.
They mainly hunt voles, mice, young rabbits, birds, and eggs. Stoats can take prey larger than themselves through rapid attacks.
The species uses delayed implantation after mating. Litters are born in spring in burrows or sheltered nests.
Where introduced to islands, stoats can heavily affect native birds and are managed as invasive predators.
