Nature Photographers Ltd

Stoat Mustela erminea Length 25-40cm Active predator with a long, sinuous body. Catches mainly rodents and Rabbits. Male is larger than female. Adult has summer coat comprising orange-brown upperparts and white underparts; tail is black-tipped. In winter, some animals in N acquire white ‘ermine’ coat; tip of tail remains black. Utters high-pitched calls in alarm. Widespread but seldom common; still widely persecuted. In Ireland, sometimes confusingly referred to as a weasel. Favoured habitats include farmland, woodlands, marshes and moors.