# Long-tailed Weasel (*Neogale frenata*) The Long-tailed Weasel is a small, playful animal with a long body and a fluffy tail. They are very quick and love to explore their surroundings, making them fun to watch in the wild! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Long-tailed Weasel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Mustela_frenata_new.jpg&width=800) Photo: JoernHauke, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mustela_frenata_new.jpg) ## Appearance The Long-tailed Weasel has a long, slender body with short legs and reddish-brown fur on its back and sides, contrasting with a creamy white or yellow belly. Its most distinctive feature is a long tail tipped with black, even when its coat turns white in winter. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Carnivora - **Family:** Mustelidae - **Genus:** Mustela ## Interesting facts - A group of weasels is called a 'boogle' or sometimes a 'gang'! - Despite their small size, they can take down prey much larger than themselves! - They often line their dens with fur from their prey to keep warm! - They sometimes perform a 'weasel war dance' to confuse prey before attacking! ## Special abilities - **Shadow Shifter:** Long-tailed Weasel can change its fur from brown to white in winter because of seasonal camouflage, helping them hide in snow. - **Burrow Bender:** Long-tailed Weasel has a super flexible body that helps them squeeze into tiny rodent tunnels to hunt their prey. - **Energy Dynamo:** Long-tailed Weasel can hunt almost constantly because of its high metabolism, requiring them to eat a lot of food daily. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-50 cm - **Weight:** 0.08-0.45 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-3 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Litter Size:** 4-9 - **Gestation:** 205-337 days ## Diet & Feeding A fierce little hunter that loves to eat small mammals, birds, and sometimes insects. - **Primary Foods:** Mice, Voles, Rabbits, Chipmunks, Small birds, Insects - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — A primary source of food in its habitat. - **Hunts:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — Skilled at entering their burrows for a meal. - **Hunts:** [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — Can tackle prey much larger than itself. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Vulnerable to nocturnal raptors. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — A predator in open landscapes. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see a weasel, watch quietly from a distance and don’t try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Long-tailed Weasel? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Long-tailed Weasel? 30-50 cm ### How much does Long-tailed Weasel weigh? 0.08-0.45 kg ### How long does Long-tailed Weasel live? 1-3 years ### How fast can Long-tailed Weasel move? 25 km/h ### What does Long-tailed Weasel eat? A fierce little hunter that loves to eat small mammals, birds, and sometimes insects. ### Where is Long-tailed Weasel usually found? Forests ### How does Long-tailed Weasel hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Marymoor Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marymoor-park) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Sod House Ranch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sod-house-ranch) — Oregon, US · Historic Site - [Chesterfield](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chesterfield) — Idaho, US · Neighborhood - [Fort Funston](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-funston) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Redwood National and State Parks](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/redwood-national-and-state-parks) — California, US · National Park - [San Juan Bautista State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-juan-bautista-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park [View all places to see Long-tailed Weasel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/long-tailed-weasel) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Long-tailed Weasel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-tailed-weasel)