Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae
Least Weasel
Mustela nivalis
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
It is the smallest carnivore in the world. For all its tiny size it is an extremely effective predator, able to chase rodents down inside their own burrows.
Weight
25 g – 250 g
Size
11 cm – 26 cm
Lifespan
2 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
Easy
Fun facts
- It is the smallest carnivore in the world.
- Its long, slim body lets it chase prey down inside their own burrows.
- It can breed in its first summer.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- A wide range of habitats from open tundra to dense woodland across Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America
- Birth weight
- Born blind, deaf and all but hairless
- Size at birth
- Tiny at birth
- Sexual maturity
- 4 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 34-37 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 3 to 10 young per litter (average 5)
Sources consulted: Kansas Mammal Atlas; Animalia.bio; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Michigan State University Brain Museum
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round, by day and by night; it is almost always seen only in a glimpse, crossing a track or vanishing into a stone wall.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 211 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Least Weasel — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Polecat
Mustela putorius
American Mink
Neovison vison
Least ConcernWolverine
Gulo gulo
Pine Marten
Martes martes
Beech Marten
Martes foina
European Mink
Mustela lutreola
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Based on what we already know about least weasel.
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