Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Weasel
Scientific Name:
Mustela nivalis
Weight:
Up to 130g Male, and 70g Female.
Lifespan:
Average 18 months Description
With a long slender body and short tail the Weasel has gingery/russet brown fur and is the smallest British flesh eating mammal.
Distribution
With the exception of Northern Ireland, the Weasel is found throughout most of the British Isles.
Habitat
Found in a variety of habitats ranging from farmland and grassland to sand dunes and woodland.
Predators
Foxes, owls, cats and kestrels. Some Weasels may be trapped by man, and others killed on the roads.
Reproduction
Sometimes producing two litters in a year, the female Weasel gives birth to five or six young at one time. The young leave their mother at about 12 weeks, and may have a litter of their own within their first summer.
Status
Common and widespread throughout much of Great Britain
Did You Know?
A young Weasel eats 25 per cent of its own bodyweight in food daily.
Footprint Description
Both fore and hind feet have a 3 lobed, small interdigital pad, and 5 digital pads with distinct claws.
Footprint Size
Hind foot - 1.5x1.3cm, fore foot - 1.3x1.1cm. Stride approx 25-30cm.