The short-tailed weasel is a mustelid carnivore. It looks very small. The animal has a long body and short legs. Its head is triangular in shape with rounded average-sized ears. The length of the stoat’s body is approximately 30 centimeters. Its tail is up to 12 cm long. This animal’s maximum weight is 260 grams. Males are twice the size of females.
The short-tailed weasel’s appearance changes depending on the season because it sheds its coat. In winter time, the stoat is completely white and looks furrier because its coat is softer and thicker in this season. In summers, this animal is two tone. Its upper body is chestnut-orange, while the lower is yellowish-white. And its coat is coarser and more sparse. Only the end of tis tail remains black throughout the year.
The stoat’s molt occurs in spring and autumn. In spring time, first its head sheds its coat, then the back and afterwards the stomach area. In autumn, the order is reversed. Short-tailed weasels inhabit regions where there are many rodents. This animal also likes water. Hence, it often lives fairly close to water bodies, lakes, small streams and in fields adjoining them. One will not find stoats in depths of forests as they prefer living at the edges of woods, in gulches and ravines. Sometimes, these animals live near humans, i.e. in gardens, parks and outskirts of towns and cities.
Generally, this small predator leads a solitary lifestyle. This animal is predominantly active at dusk and at night, although one can encounter it in the daytime. You can come across these predators in very unusual places, e.g. in haystacks, piles of stones or old tree stumps. The short-tailed weasels swims really well, dives and easily climbs trees. This creature often takes shelter among branches if danger arises or an enemy poses a threat to it. Usually stoats are quiet and fairly uncommunicative, but when flustered, they are loud: hissing, squealing and producing chirping noises. In the wild, its enemies include foxes, sables, Eurasian badgers, martens and large birds of prey. Their lifespans range from 2 to 6 years.
Short-tailed weasels have a varied diet. Its main food source are rodents, i.e. voles, rats, hamsters, shrews and Eastern chipmunks. Still, they also enjoy eating other types of food, such as fish, small birds, lizards and insects. Stoats also destroy nests and consume eggs. They start hunting at dusk and continue the entire night until sunrise. This predator can be so brazen and fearless as to attack large game birds — black grouse, Eurasian capercaillie, hazel hens and partridges. Short-tailed weasels also hunt animals that are much larger than them in size, i.e. hares and rabbits. Overnight, it travels a distance of 3 to 15 kilometers in search of food. This predator has well-developed senses. Hence, during the hunt, it uses all of them: its excellent eyesight, hearing and sense of smell. One unique feature of the stoat’s hunting approach is its peculiar dance. With its movements, the animal mesmerizes and distracts its prey, which allows the predator to get closer and pounce. This performance is also called the weasel war dance.
The short-tailed weasel’s appearance changes depending on the season because it sheds its coat. In winter time, the stoat is completely white and looks furrier because its coat is softer and thicker in this season. In summers, this animal is two tone. Its upper body is chestnut-orange, while the lower is yellowish-white. And its coat is coarser and more sparse. Only the end of tis tail remains black throughout the year.
The stoat’s molt occurs in spring and autumn. In spring time, first its head sheds its coat, then the back and afterwards the stomach area. In autumn, the order is reversed. Short-tailed weasels inhabit regions where there are many rodents. This animal also likes water. Hence, it often lives fairly close to water bodies, lakes, small streams and in fields adjoining them. One will not find stoats in depths of forests as they prefer living at the edges of woods, in gulches and ravines. Sometimes, these animals live near humans, i.e. in gardens, parks and outskirts of towns and cities.
Generally, this small predator leads a solitary lifestyle. This animal is predominantly active at dusk and at night, although one can encounter it in the daytime. You can come across these predators in very unusual places, e.g. in haystacks, piles of stones or old tree stumps. The short-tailed weasels swims really well, dives and easily climbs trees. This creature often takes shelter among branches if danger arises or an enemy poses a threat to it. Usually stoats are quiet and fairly uncommunicative, but when flustered, they are loud: hissing, squealing and producing chirping noises. In the wild, its enemies include foxes, sables, Eurasian badgers, martens and large birds of prey. Their lifespans range from 2 to 6 years.
Short-tailed weasels have a varied diet. Its main food source are rodents, i.e. voles, rats, hamsters, shrews and Eastern chipmunks. Still, they also enjoy eating other types of food, such as fish, small birds, lizards and insects. Stoats also destroy nests and consume eggs. They start hunting at dusk and continue the entire night until sunrise. This predator can be so brazen and fearless as to attack large game birds — black grouse, Eurasian capercaillie, hazel hens and partridges. Short-tailed weasels also hunt animals that are much larger than them in size, i.e. hares and rabbits. Overnight, it travels a distance of 3 to 15 kilometers in search of food. This predator has well-developed senses. Hence, during the hunt, it uses all of them: its excellent eyesight, hearing and sense of smell. One unique feature of the stoat’s hunting approach is its peculiar dance. With its movements, the animal mesmerizes and distracts its prey, which allows the predator to get closer and pounce. This performance is also called the weasel war dance.
