Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae

Stoat

Mustela erminea

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

Its winter coat turns completely white except for the black tip of the tail — the 'ermine' historically used to trim the robes of European royalty and nobility.

Weight

140 g – 445 g

Size

24.2 cm – 31.2 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

Temperate forestMountainTundraCarnivore Variable activity Solitary Temperate forest Mountain Tundra Mammal

49countries 24parks28same family

Fun facts

It uses delayed implantation, mating in summer but holding off embryonic development until the following spring.
It feeds mainly on small mammals such as mice and voles, supplemented with birds and eggs.
It lives in a wide range of habitats, from beaches to alpine country, across Europe, Asia and North America.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: A wide range of habitats from beaches to alpine country across Europe, Asia and North America, including forest, grassland and farmland
Birth weight: ~2 g at birth, blind and all but naked apart from a fine tuft of white hair on the neck
Size at birth: ~2 g at birth
Sexual maturity: Female: 3-6 months | Male: ~1 year
Gestation / incubation: ~280 days (including 8-9 months of delayed implantation)
Litter / clutch size: 3 to 18 young per litter (average 4-9)