As an animal with a very wide distribution, the morphology of the least weasel varies geographically. meridionalis (Costa, 1869) Short-tailed Weasel. In some large subspecies, the male may be 1.5 times longer than the female. The type locality was Westrobothnia in Sweden. Least weasels are 6 to 8.5 inches long, including a 1.… In Pennsylvania, Mustelanivalisis most common in the Allegheny Plateau area of the northwest and in the southcentral part of the state. Other birds of prey threatening to the least weasel include broad-winged and rough-legged buzzards. The least weasels are the smallest of all members of the weasel family. The least weasel (Mustela nivalis), little weasel, common weasel, or simply weasel in the UK[2] and much of the world, is the smallest member of the genus Mustela, family Mustelidae and order Carnivora. According to Blackfoot legend, this species is the bravest of all animals, a hunter that is bold out of proportion to its size. [44], In Inuit mythology, the least weasel is credited with both great wisdom and courage, and whenever a mythical Inuit hero wished to accomplish a valorous task, he would generally change himself into a least weasel. It eats insects … The least weasel mates in April–July and there is a 34- to 37-day gestation period. The dorsal surface, flanks, limbs and tail of the animal are usually some shade of brown while the underparts are white. Dominant weasels exhibit lunges and shrieks during aggressive encounters, while subdominant weasels will emit submissive squeals. The stoat or short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea), also known as the ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and North America.Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.. Least weasels are much smaller than short-tailed weasels, averaging only 8 to 10 inches long and weighing around 3 ounces. Diet: Least weasels will eat meadow voles, shrews, birds, eggs and insects. [33] In England, a favoured prey item is the field vole (Microtus agrestis). The least weasel is the world’s smallest carnivore. Based on skull characteristics, Reig (1997) proposed that the taxon should be split into four species, M. subpalmata, M. rixosa, M. vulgaris and M. eskimo. Due to its small size and fierce nature, the least weasel plays an important part in the mythology and legend of various cultures. Least weasels from various parts of its range vary greatly in size. They do most of their hunting in tunnels made by these rodents. The Weasel is a small-sized carnivorous mammal that is found on every continent with the exception of Australia and its surrounding islands, along with the more hostile polar regions. They might have cute little faces, but weasels are also bloodthirsty. Abrimov and Baryshinikov (2000) disagreed, recognising only M. subpalmata as a separate species. [37] Least weasels are commonly infected with the nematode Skrjabingylus nasicola, adults of which are found in the nasal sinuses and can damage the skull. hunt. After about 30 seconds, the prey dies. Noun. Still, the Least Weasel is anopportunistic predator that will also eat small fish, birds, insects, lizards, andbirds' eggs. They commonly use food caching, as they often kill prey bigger than themselves, but only consume a few grams of meat for each meal. The legs and tail are relatively short, the latter constituting less than half the body length. nikolskii (Semenov, 1899) Currently the Least weasel is classified as Least Concern (LC) and their numbers today remain stable. The name ermine / ˈ ɜːr m ɪ n / is used for species in the genus Mustela, especially the stoat, in its pure white winter coat, or the fur thereof. predator. It can be found in fields, open woodland, bushy or rocky areas, parks and gardens, and at altitudes of up to about 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). [25] There are usually four pairs of nipples but these are only visible in females. Least weasels and stoats looks very alike but can be told apart by the stoat’s tail having a black tip. They can run up to six mph and are small enough to chase mice inside their burrows. In its summer coat, the fur is dark reddish-brown, while the winter fur is pure white. As a small carnivore, the Least Weasel's main food sources are smallrodents, such as mice, bank voles, and field voles. The Least Weasel well deserves its title of the smallest living carnivore. The modern species probably arose during the Late Pleistocene. The eyes are small in relation to their head size and are bulging and dark colored. Excess food is often stored in a cache or in their burrows for future use. [32], The least weasel has four basic vocalisations; a guttural hiss emitted when alarmed, which is interspersed with short screaming barks and shrieks when provoked. dead body. Average body length in males is 130 to 260 mm (5 to 10 in), while females average 114 to 204 mm (4.5 to 8.0 in). All three species can be found state-wide, but the least weasel is the least abundant, especially in northeastern Minnesota. Least weasels specialize in taking small prey such as mice and voles. Southern European Russia from the latitude of southern Voronezh and Kursk districts, This page was last edited on 9 November 2020, at 13:50. It can deal with adult pikas and gerbils, but usually cannot overcome brown rats and sousliks. Males mark their territories with olfactory signals and have exclusive home ranges which may intersect with or include several female ranges. Agricultural changes in many areas have led to the reduction or loss of rough grasslands, prime habitat for Field voles, which is a primary source of food for this species. atlas (Barrett-Hamilton, 1904) Least weasels are predominantly carnivores, they mostly eat small rodents like mice and voles but also eat birds, frogs, fish and eggs. Zombeasels! Food Weasels prey on small rodents such as mice, rats, voles, hares, rabbits, and chipmunks. Males weigh 36 to 250 g (1.3 to 8.8 oz), while females weigh 29 to 117 g (1.0 to 4.1 oz). It also has a reputation for its aggressiveness. Least weasels eat more than half their body weight each day—equaling about 1 to 1½ mice a day. The winter fur is not pure white, being usually dirty white with brown patches. The milk teeth erupt at 2 to 3 weeks of age, at which point the young start to eat solid food, though lactation can last 12 weeks. The least weasel's claws and sharp teeth help this animal to catch their prey. [24][28], The least weasel mates in April–July and there is a 34- to 37-day gestation period. Variations in tail length are also variable, constituting from 13 to 30% of the length of the body. They are fecund in February–October, though the early stages of spermatogenesis do occur throughout the winter months. The Short-tailed Weasel's tail is one-fourth to one-third of the total body length while the Least Weasel's tail length comprises only … Male least weasels take a higher proportion of rabbits than females, as well as an overall greater variety of prey. The species was reviewed by Reichstein in 1957 and again by van Zyll de Jong in 1992 and Reig in 1997. [26], Dimensions vary geographically, to an extent rarely found among other mammals. Weasels can also be found in firewood piles and garages. As weasels have a high ratio of surface area to weight, in winter they conserve body heat by curling up into a ball and slowing their metabolism. It reaches a maximum length of 10 inches (25 cm) and a weight of 3 ounces (85 g). Youngsters also fall prey to snakes. It is found throughout Europe (but not Ireland) and on many islands, including the Azores, Great Britain, and all major Mediterranean islands. Weasels kill their prey with a quick, crushing bite to the jugular. It is subject to considerable variations in numbers in areas where its main rodent prey is liable to large population fluctuations. The least weasel does not dig its own den, but nests in the abandoned burrow of another species such as a mole or rat. In a day, a Least Weasel can eat 1 to 1½ mice, totaling more than half of its own body weight. At high altitudes and in the northern part of its range, the coat becomes pure white in winter. [41] It also occurs on Honshu and Hokkaido Islands in Japan and on Kunashir, Iturup, and Sakhalin Islands in Russia. Mice and other small rodents are the major foods, but insects and small birds are probably taken, too. The weasel has an extremely high metabolism and needs to eat roughly a third of its own body weight daily. [5], Within the genus Mustela, the least weasel is a relatively unspecialised form, as evidenced by its pedomorphic skull, which occurs even in large subspecies. Modern scientists agree with this view, as every single feature of these graceful, lightning-fast little animals appears to be designed so that they are the perfect predator. Breeding takes place in the spring and summer, and there is a single litter of about six kits which are reared exclusively by the female. [39], Ectoparasites known to infest weasels include the louse Trichodectes mustelae and the mites Demodex and Psoregates mustela. animal that hunts other animals for food. The least weasel thrived during the Ice Age, as its small size and long body allowed it to easily operate beneath snow, as well as hunt in burrows. Smithsonian Institution – North American Mammals: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Least_weasel&oldid=987828160, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, A medium-sized subspecies with a tail of moderate length, constituting about 20–21% of its body length. trettaui (Kleinschmidt, 1937) The least weasel may have three to ten young, but averages five which may be born at any time of the year but most frequently are born in late winter. The least weasel's way of expressing aggression is similar to that of the stoat. A very large subspecies with a long tail constituting about 25–30% of its body length. Weasels have short, heavily muscled jaws, with 34 extremely sharp teeth. It is classified as least concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and large population throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The eyes and ears open at 3 to 4 weeks of age, and by 8 weeks, killing behaviour is developed. Least weasels of the boccamela group, for example, may outweigh the smaller races by almost four times. The weasel manages to avoid too much competition by living in more upland areas, feeding on smaller prey and being capable of entering smaller holes. The weasel's ancestors were larger than the current form, and underwent a reduction in size to exploit the new food source. The Ancient Macedonians believed that to see a least weasel was a good omen. Small rodents form the largest part of the least weasel's diet, but it also kills and eats rabbits, other mammals, and occasionally birds, birds' eggs, fish and frogs. They are territorial animals and form gender-based dominance hierarchies, with older males being dominant over juvenile males and females. The animal is thrown into the hole of the basilisk, which is easily known from the soil around it being infected. The colour varies geographically, as does the pelage type and length of tail. In years of rodent population booms, the least weasel numbers may rise by up to ten-fold, only to slump again as prey becomes scarce again in the following years.[1]. A least weasel like Ozzy can take out prey that is 10 times his size. In its summer fur, the upper body is light brownish or chestnut with yellowish or reddish tints, with some individuals having a brownish dot on the corners of the mouth and sometimes on the chest and belly. The Least weasel has wide distribution and presumed large population, but no estimate of population size is available for this species. In the northern part of its range and at high altitudes, the least weasel changes colour in the winter, the coat becoming pure white and exhibiting a few black hairs in rare circumstances. In its summer fur, the upper body is a dark brownish or chestnut colour, while its winter fur is pure white. In the Northern Hemisphere, the average litter size consists of 6 kits and these reach sexual maturity in 3 to 4 months. Least weasels, like many other weasel species, are able to kill prey much larger than themselves, then store the remains. Exceptional cases are known of least weasels killing prey far larger than themselves, such as capercaillie, hazel hen and hares. The average weasel weighs about 198 grams (7 ounces), however, males usually weigh up to 115 grams and females up to 59 grams. [27], The winter fur is dense, but short and closely fitting. In its summer coat, the dorsal colour is dark brown or reddish, while the winter fur is entirely white. There is often a brown spot at the corner of the mouth. monticola (Cavazza, 1908) These include ermine, eagles, owls, foxes, coyotes, predatory birds, martens, and polecats. Long-tailed weasels eat mice, rats, voles, squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, moles and rabbits. A Least Weasel feeds 5-10 times per day, and it leaves uneaten remains in burrows and other cache locations. There is no evidence that this has serious detrimental effects on even heavily infested animals. Being a prey item to these other Chordates is their primary cause death. Eighteen subspecies are recognised. [37], Helminths known to infest weasels include the trematode Alaria, the nematodes Capillaria, Filaroides and Trichinella and the cestode Taenia. M. praenivalis itself was probably preceded by M. pliocaenica of the Pliocene. Predators of adult Least Weasels are large owls and birds of prey. Least weasels need to eat very regularly so that they do not starve to death, and often they are found foraging at any time, day or night. Many burrows used temporarily by Least Weasels previously were used by the prey animals. It can also take larger prey, such as young rabbits, and will readily hunt birds and their eggs too. Verb. This 'dancing' behavior, in fact, is believed to be response to the discomfort of internal parasites. [40], The least weasel has a circumboreal, Holarctic distribution, encompassing much of Europe and North Africa, Asia and parts of northern North America, where it occurs mainly in places where the stoat is not found, and has recently been extirpated from New York. The type locality was Västerbotten in Sweden. Males defend territories, usually against other males, but in the breeding season they leave their territories to search of females. It usually does not attack adult hamsters and rats. The least weasel's subspecies are divided into three categories:[9], kerulenica (Bannikov, 1952) [36] When food is abundant, only a small portion of the prey is eaten, usually the brain. The dividing line between the dark upper and light lower parts is usually straight but sometimes forms an irregular line. [36], The least weasel forages undercover, to avoid being seen by foxes and birds of prey. Least weasel remains have been found in the excrement of red foxes, sables, steppe and forest polecat, stoats, eagle owls and buzzards. Historically, weasels were considered to have magical powers, able to bring their dead offspring back to life, and able to hypnotize their prey by dancing. The weasel destroys the basilisk by its odour, but dies itself in this struggle of nature against its own self. to pursue and kill an animal, usually for food. The colour of the summer fur is light-brownish, while the winter fur is white. Caches are hidden around the den entrance, and latrine sites are as well. Least Weasel on The IUCN Red List site -, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_weasel, http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/70207409/0. Least weasels mostly hunt rodents, if they are available, almost 100 percent of their diet will be made up of rodents, however, they will not overlook an easy meal. The Least weasel lives deep in the Northeast Asian deciduous forest. Except for the breeding season, Least weasels are solitary. [24] The skull is, overall, similar to that of the stoat, but smaller, though the skulls of large male weasels tend to overlap in size with those of small female stoats. The smallest subspecies and the smallest living carnivore in the world. corpse. Least weasels will cache excess food for later use. Credits Media Credits. The weasel is an agile and elusive mammal with a very good sense of smell and hearing. [38] The owls most efficient at capturing least weasels are barn, barred, and great horned owls. Less common foods include birds, bird eggs, snakes, frogs and insects. [31] The burrow entrance measures about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) across and leads to the nest chamber located up to 15 cm (5.9 in) below ground. & Reid, F. (2019). The least weasel will also feed on small birds, insects and carrion. Youngman (1982) placed it in the subgenus Mustela whi… Oh yes. Population numbers vary with the abundance of prey, and they themselves are vulnerable to a range of predators, such as domestic dogs, cats, and foxes. Other common weasels in this area are the least weasel and the short-tailed weasel or ermine. In northern subspecies, the fur is soft and silky, but coarse in southern forms. Young are weaned at 4 weeks old and at 8 weeks old they are able to hunt, often going with their mother and hunting in 'gangs’. vasarhelyi (Kretzoi, 1942), The least weasel has a thin, greatly elongated and extremely flexible body with a small, yet elongated, blunt-muzzled head which is no thicker than the neck. During encounters between males and females or between a mother and kits, the least weasel emits a high-pitched trilling. Weasels of any age perform the dance, though it is more common in the younger ones, especially kits when playing with their siblings. Least weasels also sometimes perform a “weasel war dance”, consisting of a series of twists and leaps, often accompanied by noises like barks, an arched back, stiff limbs, and erection of their caudal and dorsal hairs. [29] There is a single litter each year and least weasels can live for 7 or 8 years. [42] According to Pliny the Elder, the least weasel was the only animal that was capable of killing the basilisk: To this dreadful monster the effluvium of the weasel is fatal, a thing that has been tried with success, for kings have often desired to see its body when killed; so true is it that it has pleased Nature that there should be nothing without its antidote. If food is overly plentiful, though, they may eat only part of their prey. Since least weasels can have 2-3 litters per year, weasel populations can respond rapidly to favorable abundant prey conditions. The population density of each territory depends greatly on food supply and reproductive success, thus the social structure and population density of any given territory is unstable and flexible. Least weasels use pre-existing holes to sleep, store food and raise their young. In some districts of Macedon, women who suffered from headaches after having washed their heads in water drawn overnight would assume that a weasel had previously used the water as a mirror, but they would refrain from mentioning the animal's name for fear that it would destroy their clothes. The upper parts in the summer fur are dark, but vary geographically from dark-tawny or dark-chocolate to light pale tawny or sandy. minutus (Pomel, 1853) The least weasel was given its scientific name Mustela nivalis by Carl Linnaeus in his 12th edition of Systema Naturae in 1766. They are the smallest species of weasel and their prey is proportionally smaller too. [28], The least weasel has a very wide circumboreal range and a large total population and is therefore listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of "least concern". Round in a variety of habitats, this animal favors plentiful prey and good cover, including woodland, grassland, mountains, sand dunes, urban areas, moors and marshes. [3][4] It is native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Malta, Crete, Bermuda, Madeira Island, the Azores, the Canary Islands, São Tomé, the Falkland Islands, Argentina and Chile. Under ultraviolet light, the white winter coat of this animal glows a bright lavender. In North America it inhabits the Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania south to North Carolina, the northern Midwest, Canada and Alaska (it is absent in New England and the Pacific Northwest). It is adapted for pursuing its prey down tunnels, though it may also bolt prey from a burrow and kill it in the open. yesoidsuna (Kishida, 1936), algiricus (Thomas, 1895) Anestrus in females lasts from September until February. It hunts day and night, aided by its sharp nails and long slender body. [7] The least weasel is the product of a process begun 5–7 million years ago, when northern forests were replaced by open grassland, thus prompting an explosive evolution of small, burrowing rodents. [30] Like the stoat, the male least weasel extends its range during spring or during food shortages. They’re Killing Machines. Weasels travel by silent, gliding leaps, the hind feet falling exactly in the tracks of the front ones. 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