Weasel Mustela nivalis
This superb ‘tunnel-hunter’, with its flexible slender body, is able to hunt any time of the day or year. Weasels do not hibernate and so can be seen all year round.
Conservation status in Norfolk
Not threatened even though they have no legal protection in Britain. In years when prey numbers are low many weasels starve and few of the survivors breed. Local populations often experience extinctions. However, weasels are extremely good at re-colonising abandoned areas when conditions improve.
There is little competition for food between stoats and weasels. The stoat is much more aggressive and can handle larger prey, but the weasel is an excellent 'tunnel-hunter', reaching small rodents which the stoat cannot.
How to help
Report your sightings to the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists Society who maintain a database of mammal distribution within Norfolk for conservation purposes.
Richard Porter
Information on the Weasel
How to recognise
The weasel is a member of a family of animals that include the stoat, otter and the badger. The fur of a weasel is a warm reddish-brown with the underside being cream. The weasel has a long slim body with short legs and a short tail. The overall body length (excluding the tail) is 19-21cm for males and 17-18cm for the smaller females. The tail of the male is 4-5cm long with that of the female being a centimetre or so shorter.
Where to see
The weasel occurs throughout the UK but is absent from Ireland. In Norfolk it is common and widespread and is marginally less commonly reported than the stoat.
Weasels can be found in a wide range of habitats including urban areas, lowland pasture, woodland, marshes and moors. The density of weasel populations has a close correlation with abundance of prey items; i.e. they are less common where numbers of prey items are scarce.
When to see
Weasels do not hibernate and can be encountered all year. They will even hunt prey under deep snow.
Did you know?
A group of weasels may be known as a boogle, gang, confusion or pack.
Related questions
How do you tell a stoat from a weasel?
The stoat has a black tip to its tail and is slightly larger than a weasel.
How do I tell the difference between a mink and an otter?
The non-native American mink is in the same mammal family as the otter, stoat and weasel, and resembles all of these species in general body shape. It is quite commonly confused with the otter, especially in wetland habitats, but there are several important differences. It has a long, slim body, short legs and a round, fluffy tail that is about a third of its body length. The otter’s tail is broad-based, flat and tapers towards the tip and is about half the body length. In size American mink are larger than stoats and weasels but smaller than a domestic cat and about half the size of an otter. The average body length is 60cm for males and 50cm for females. The tail adds an extra 14 – 21cm. The fur is rich, glossy and generally dark brown or black, with a white or pale patch on the chin only. The pale markings on an otter extend from the chin to the chest. The muzzle of a mink is pointed and ferret-like whereas the otter has a flattened head shape and a broad dog-like muzzle. The mink swims high in the water with the head and body visible but the otter swims low in the water with only the head and part of the tail on show.