In winter, the stoat's fur turns completely white, except for the black tip to its tail. During this time, they are called 'ermine'.

Life span
Up to 10 years.

Statistics
Head and body length: 16-31cm, Weight (UK): 90-445g.

Physical description
Stoats have a long slim body, and a long tail, the end of which is almost always black. The fur is chestnut brown in summer, with a lighter underside. Males are larger than females.

Distribution
Stoats are found across Northern Europe and the UK. They are absent from Mediterranean countries and Southern Europe. They are considered to be the most widespread mustelid.

Habitat
They prefer moorland, marsh near woods, lowland farms, shoreline or mountains as suitable habitats.

Diet
Stoats are largely carnivorous, and eat rodents such as voles and mice, as well as rabbits and birds. They kill by a bite to the back of the neck, and may travel as far as 8km in one hunt.

Behaviour
Stoat dens can be in hollow trees, burrows or rock crevices, for example in dry stone walls. The female is territorial in the breeding season, but males are not. Stoats have a good sense of sight, smell and hearing, which they use to help them hunt.

Reproduction
Stoats mate in May/June. Implantation of the fertilised egg in the wall of the uterus is delayed for 280 days, but the gestation period after this is just 21-28 days, so the young are born in April/May the following year.

The litter is typically between 5 and 12 kits. The young are weaned at five weeks, and are fully independent and able to kill their own prey at 12 weeks. Males will sometimes mate with young female kits in the nest, so that they are pregnant before they even leave their mothers.

Conservation status
Stoats are relatively common. The main dangers to the stoat are starvation in winter, predation by larger carnivores, and being killed on the roads.