Least weasel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Least weaselTemporal range: Late Pleistocene–Recent
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| Least weasel at the British Wildlife Centre, Surrey, England | |
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Mustela
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| Species: |
nivalis
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| Global range of M. nivalis | |
The least weasel (Mustela nivalis) is the smallest type of weasel. It is also the smallest animal in the Mustelidae family, which includes badgers and otters. This tiny hunter is sometimes called the little weasel or common weasel.
Least weasels live naturally in Eurasia, North America, and North Africa. They have also been brought to other places like New Zealand and the Azores. Scientists consider the least weasel a "least concern species." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
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About the Least Weasel
The least weasel has a long, thin, and very flexible body. This helps it move easily through small spaces. It has a small head with a long shape. Its legs and tail are short. The weasel's feet have sharp, dark claws. The bottom of its feet are covered in fur. Least weasels move around by jumping.
Male least weasels are usually 130 to 260 millimeters (5 to 10 inches) long. Females are a bit smaller, measuring 114 to 204 millimeters (4.5 to 8.0 inches) long. Males weigh between 36 and 250 grams (1.3 to 8.8 ounces). Females are lighter, weighing 29 to 117 grams (1.0 to 4.1 ounces).
Least Weasel Life Cycle
Least weasels usually mate from April to July. The mother weasel is pregnant for about 34 to 37 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, a mother least weasel typically gives birth to about 6 babies, called kits. These young weasels grow up quickly. They can have their own babies when they are just 3 to 4 months old.
The mother weasel raises her kits all by herself. The newborn kits are very tiny, weighing only 1.5 to 4.5 grams (0.05 to 0.16 ounces). They are born pink, without fur, and cannot see or hear. After about 4 days, they start to grow a soft, white fur coat.
When they are 2 to 3 weeks old, their baby teeth start to come in. This is also when they begin to eat solid food. Their eyes and ears open when they are 3 to 4 weeks old. By 8 weeks, the young weasels learn how to hunt and kill their own food. They leave their family when they are 9 to 12 weeks old. Least weasels can live for 7 or 8 years.
What Least Weasels Eat
The least weasel mainly eats small rodents, like mice, hamsters, and gerbils. It usually does not attack adult hamsters or rats. It almost never eats frogs, fish, small birds, or bird eggs.
Despite its small size, the least weasel is a very skilled hunter. It can even kill a rabbit that is five to 10 times its own weight! However, the rabbits it hunts are usually young ones. Rabbits become an important food source in spring, when there are not many small rodents around, but lots of baby rabbits. In England, least weasels especially like to eat the field vole.
Who Hunts the Least Weasel?
Even though least weasels are good hunters, they also have predators. Animals that hunt least weasels include red foxes, sables, and stoats. Many types of owls are very good at catching least weasels. Some of these owls are barn owls, barred owls, and great horned owls.
Other birds of prey that eat least weasels include buzzards. Some snakes may also eat least weasels. These include the black rat snake and the copperhead snake.
Where Least Weasels Live
The least weasel lives in Europe, North Africa, Asia, and parts of northern North America. They mostly live in areas where there are no stoats. They used to live in New York, but they are no longer found there.
Least weasels have been brought to new places like New Zealand, Malta, Crete, and the Azore Islands. They are found all over Europe, except for Ireland. They also live on many islands, including Great Britain and most of the large Mediterranean islands. You can also find them on Honshu and Hokkaido Islands in Japan, and on some islands in Russia.
These adaptable animals can live in many different places. You might find them in fields, open woodland, bushy or rocky areas, parks, and even gardens. They can live at high altitudes, up to about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level.
Images for kids
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Different types of least weasels; (from left to right) M. n. pygmaea, M. n. nivalis, M. n. pallida, M. n. vulgaris, M. n. boccamela, M. n. heptneri.
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A least weasel in the wild.
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Two least weasels playing or fighting.
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The skull of a least weasel.
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A least weasel moving quickly at the British Wildlife Centre.
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Skulls of a long-tailed weasel (top), a stoat (bottom left), and a least weasel (bottom right).
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A drawing of a least weasel's skeleton.
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A least weasel in its winter coat, which helps it blend in with snow.
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Two least weasels interacting.
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A museum display showing a least weasel attacking a European hare.
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Least weasels being chased away from a mountain hare by a stoat.
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An Alaskan least weasel (M. n. eskimo).
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A 17th-century drawing of a least weasel facing a mythical basilisk.
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See also
In Spanish: Comadreja para niños
