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The Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata)
The long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America.
The long-tailed weasel is the product of a process begun 5–7 million years ago, when northern forests were replaced by open grassland, thus prompting an explosive evolution of small, burrowing rodents. The weasel’s ancestors were larger than the current form, and underwent a reduction in size to exploit the new food source.
The long-tailed weasel is one of the largest members of the genus Mustela in North America, with a total length of 300–350 mm and a tail comprising 40–70 per cent of the head and body length. In most populations, females are 10–15 per cent smaller than males, thus making them about the same size as large male stoats. The eyes are black in daylight, but glow bright emerald green when caught in a spotlight at night. The dorsal fur is brown in summer, while the under parts are whitish and tinged with yellowish or buffy brown from the chin to the inguinal region. The tail has a distinct black tip.
Long-tailed weasels in Florida and the south-western US may have facial markings of a white or yellowish colour. In northern areas in winter, the long-tailed weasel’s fur becomes white, sometimes with yellow tints, but the tail retains its black tip.
The long-tailed weasel moults twice annually, once in autumn (October to mid-November) and once in spring (March–April). Each moult takes about 3–4 weeks and is governed by day length and mediated by the pituitary gland. Unlike the stoat, whose soles are thickly furred all year, the long-tailed weasel’s soles are naked in summer.
The long-tailed weasel has well-developed anal scent glands, which produce a strong and musky odour. Unlike skunks, which spray their musk, the long-tailed weasel drags and rubs its body over surfaces in order to leave the scent, but if they are running from prey they try to hide their scent as best as possible.
The long-tailed weasel mates in July–August, with implantation of the fertilized egg on the uterine wall being delayed until about March. The gestation period lasts 10 months, with actual embryonic development taking place only during the last four weeks of this period, an adaptation to timing births for spring, when small mammals are abundant. Litter size generally consists of 5–8 kits, which are born in April–May. The kits are born partially naked, blind and weighing three grams, about the same weight of a hummingbird.
The long-tailed weasel’s growth rate is rapid, as by the age of three weeks, the kits are well furred, can crawl outside the nest and eat meat. At this time, the kits weigh 21–27 grams. At five weeks of age, the kit’s eyes open, and they become physically active and vocal. Weaning begins at this stage, with the kits emerging from the nest and accompanying the mother in hunting trips a week later. The kits are fully grown by autumn and, by this time, the family disbands. The females are able to breed at 3–4 months of age, while males become sexually mature at 15–18 months.
The long-tailed weasel dens in ground burrows, under stumps or beneath rock piles. It usually does not dig its own burrows, but commonly uses abandoned chipmunk holes. The 22–30 cm diameter nest chamber is situated around 60 cm from the burrow entrance, and is lined with straw and the fur of prey.
The long-tailed weasel is a fearless and aggressive hunter which may attack animals far larger than itself. When stalking, it waves its head from side to side in order to pick up the scent of its prey. It hunts small prey, such as mice, by rushing at them and kills them with one bite to the head. With large prey, such as rabbits, the long-tailed weasel strikes quickly, taking its prey off guard. It grabs the nearest part of the animal and climbs upon its body, maintaining its hold with its feet. The long-tailed weasel then manoeuvres itself to inflict a lethal bite to the neck.
The long-tailed weasel is an obligate carnivore which prefers its prey to be fresh or alive, eating only the carrion stored within its burrows. Rodents are almost exclusively taken when they are available. Its primary prey consists of mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, moles and rabbits. Occasionally, it may eat small birds, bird eggs reptiles, amphibians, fish, earthworms and some insects.
(Source: Wikipedia – The Free Online Encyclopedia)
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