Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2014/January 2015 | Page 59

Stoat picture by Peter G Trimming

COUNTRY LIFE

Comparing
stoats to
weasels
Gift to Nature is responsible for a variety of conservation
sites around the Island, it is their mission to not only
care for the Island’s wildlife but encourage everyone to
get out and explore our fantastic countryside.

I

always feel privileged to catch a glimpse
of a stoat diving off in to the roadside
hedgerows or racing across a path in
front of me. They’re beautiful creatures,
with a fluid sinuous movement and a look
of cheeky intelligence in their eyes. People
are often confused as to whether they’ve
seen a stoat or a weasel, both of which are
from the Mustelidae family.
Stoats are the size of a small squirrel
whereas weasels are more ‘large mouse
size’. The stoat also has a black tip to its
tail which the weasel lacks. In the far north
stoats will turn completely white, apart
from that black tail tip, in the winter, but
this far south this doesn’t occur. Hence the
alternative name ‘ermine’. These ermine
pelts led in the past to it being killed
purely to provide trimming for royal robes
and the like.
Because of the size difference, the prey
the two species tackle is also of a different
nature; stoats will take rabbits, rats,

reptiles, ground-nesting birds; weasels
stick to smaller creatures such as mice.
Stoats’ sense of smell and hearing is
fantastic, although their eyesight is poor.
But those two senses combined with
speeds of up to 20mph and an amazing
agility make it a fearsome predator.
Although bizarrely stoats will sometimes
entice their prey to them! It will, for
example, approach a group of rabbits and
perform an intriguing acrobatic display –
the inquisitive, almost hypnotised rabbits
approach for a ringside view and then the
stoat leaps upon an unsuspecting victim.
Stoats are not sociable creatures and
usually only meet at breeding time,
which is in late summer, but delayed
implantation means the young aren’t
born until the following spring. The young
kittens remain with their mother for
some time, up to three months, playing,
learning and hunting as a unit until they
disperse and go their solitary ways.

Weasels mate in spring and five weeks
later kittens are born and remain with
their mother for up to three months
until she finally chases them away! Both
species use crevices or old rabbit burrows
to rest and nest in.
Due to the dangers facing them from
predators such as birds of prey, foxes and
cats, as well as cars hitting them, their life
span is usually no more than one year to
18 months. In spite of this both species
are still common throughout the United
Kingdom.
Why not enjoy a winter walk at one of
our Gift to Nature conservation sites such
as One Horse Field at Totland or along the
Troll Trail from Merstone Station and keep
your eyes peeled for a stoat or weasel.
Gift to Nature manages a range of
conservation sites across the Island. For
further information visit gifttonature.org.uk
or follow www.facebook.com/gifttonature

www.visitilife.com

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