# Stoat (*Mustela erminea*) The stoat is a small, furry animal that loves to explore! With a long body and short legs, it can be very quick and playful. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Woodlands and fields - **Also known as:** Ermine, Short-tailed Weasel ![Stoat](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424239/objects/4481.jpg) ## Appearance The Stoat is a small, slender mammal with a long body and short legs. It has brown fur on its back and sides, with a creamy white belly. A key feature is the black tip on its tail, which helps distinguish it from similar weasels. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Carnivora - **Family:** Mustelidae - **Genus:** Mustela ## Interesting facts - A group of stoats is sometimes called a "pack" or even a "gang"! - Despite their small size, stoats can take down prey much larger than themselves. - Stoats often perform a "weasel war dance" to confuse and mesmerize their prey! - They kill prey with a precise bite to the back of the neck, showing amazing hunting skill. ## Special abilities - **Seasonal Coat Change:** Stoats can change their brown fur to pure white in winter to blend perfectly with snow, helping them hide and hunt. - **Super Speedy Hunter:** The Stoat has incredible agility and speed, allowing it to pursue and catch quick prey like mice and voles. - **Clever Climber:** Stoats are excellent climbers, easily scampering up trees to raid nests or escape predators with their sharp claws. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-33 cm - **Weight:** 0.075-0.445 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-3 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Litter Size:** 4-9 - **Gestation:** 250-330 days ## Diet & Feeding A super speedy hunter, the stoat mostly eats small animals it catches with lightning-quick moves! - **Primary Foods:** Voles, Mice, Shrews, Rabbits, Birds, Eggs - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Bank Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bank-vole) (*Myodes glareolus*) — Main food source for stoats. - **Hunts:** [European Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Stoats hunt young or sick rabbits. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — A common predator of stoats. - **Eaten by:** [Common Buzzard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-buzzard) (*Buteo buteo*) — Large birds of prey hunt stoats. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [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. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [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. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Stoats are wild animals and should be watched from a distance. It's best to leave them in their homes and enjoy watching them safely. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Stoat? 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 Stoat? 17-33 cm ### How much does Stoat weigh? 0.075-0.445 kg ### How long does Stoat live? 1-3 years ### How fast can Stoat move? 35 km/h ### What does Stoat eat? A super speedy hunter, the stoat mostly eats small animals it catches with lightning-quick moves! ### Where is Stoat usually found? Woodlands and fields ### How does Stoat hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ordesa-y-monte-perdido-national-park) — Aragon, ES · National Park - [Kurikoma Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kurikoma-quasi-national-park) — Tohoku, JP · Park ## 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: [Stoat: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stoat)