What are weasel animals? Weasel is the smallest and very cruel predator. Animal weasel in nature: what the animal looks like, what it eats

The weasel animal is a miniature representative of the mustelidae order. It is classified as a predator and does not at all live up to its gentle name. The beast is considered very aggressive. They are often confused with martens, however, they are completely different animals, although they belong to the same species.

What does a weasel look like?

Externally, the animal is quite small, its length is no more than 22 cm, and its weight does not exceed 100 grams. This animal is nimble and agile, thin body allows you to make movements with ease. The beast has the following external characteristics:

• Him a long tail, under which there are glands that produce a fetid odor.
• The paws have sharp claws.
• The muzzle has an elongated shape, the ears are rounded.
• The bulging dark eyes are very expressive, they give the muzzle a cute look.
• The neck has no grace, it is not thin at all.

The animal has attractive, although not long, fur. The color of the coat depends on the time of year and changes with molting. In winter the animal turns white, and in summer it is brown.

Behavior and character

This miniature beast is very predatory, sometimes distinguished by impudent behavior. Sometimes it sneaks into a person’s home to search for food.

The weasel is active and mobile, its periods of wakefulness occur both during the day and at night. He often hunts at night.

The animal does not like to be seen in open spaces; it prefers bushes and other places where it can be secluded.

The beast lives alone. Each individual allocates a territory for hunting and life activities of approximately 10 hectares. To mark its territory, the animal uses its natural scent, which it carries on its paws.

The animal has excellent abilities; it can climb, run, and swim. He does all this easily and quickly. He moves by jumping, covering up to two kilometers every day. In winter it moves through snowy voids. This animal is brave and aggressive; rodents, rabbits, lizards, and frogs are afraid of it.

Being small in size, the animal is often oppressed by larger animals, but at the same time manages to bite the enemy’s throat. In fights, males squeal loudly.

Habitat

The animal lives in Europe, North America, Mongolia, Egypt, Australia, Japan. That is, the animal can be found almost all over the globe.

The animal is able to live in various natural areas, except for deserts and snowy mountainous areas. Weasels thrive in:

• tundra;
• on the banks of rivers and lakes;
• in steppe regions;
• in forest areas.

Sometimes she settles not far from people's homes.

The weasel animal is in no hurry to build its own house; it is easier for it to take over someone else’s hole. The weasel also creates a home in various natural gorges, under rocky layers or in human households. The inside of her house is covered with dried plants.

Weasels eat mice and other rodents: moles, field mice, rats. But if the animal managed to get into a human household, it will definitely find prey and steal a hen, rabbit or chick. If there are no living creatures, the weasel will feast on the eggs.

The beast does a lot of damage personal plots. Poultry and rabbit breeders suffer from the invasion of this animal. If he lives close to the farmstead, he will constantly raid and destroy birds or rabbits.

If there is no favorite food, the animal can eat snake, lizard or fish. Sometimes the animal stores prey, hiding it in secluded corners. The insatiability of the weasel is sometimes terrible, since the animal kills by making reserves. For example, having entered a chicken coop, a weasel will destroy all the birds at once.

Eat popular belief that if a weasel tickles a cow, it will stop giving milk. Of course, the beast doesn't actually tickle cattle. However, he drinks cow's milk directly from the udder, so the cow stops milking out of fear.

Catching a weasel is not easy, because she is fast and agile. However, there is no point in catching it - an adult animal cannot be domesticated. For home care buy puppies aged one to two months. The main thing is not to forget that this animal is exotic, it needs special conditions content.

The animal is hunted using a trap placed near the hole through which it enters the chicken coop. When running away from a dog or person, a weasel may inadvertently fall into a trap. She does not eat pieces of poisoned food. Sometimes, to catch weasels, fishing hooks are attached to the hole, on which the weasel is easily caught, like a fish.

Weasel does not harm root crops, they don't interest her. The animal approaches its prey through underground passages.

The animal eats only 30-40 grams of food per day. Of course, this is not much.

Reproduction

In March, weasels begin mating games. At this time, fights take place between males for females. The events are accompanied by loud screams.

With the onset of pregnancy, the male leaves the female. Gestation of weasel cubs lasts 35 days. The mother prepares a home for the babies, she covers her nest with grass and moss, and creates comfort in the house for the babies.

The cubs that are born do not have vision. Puppies weigh no more than 2 grams. One mother gives birth to 3-8 puppies. First, the mother feeds them milk, and then gives them a small mouse, for which the kids fight. Upon reaching 4 months of age, babies leave their mother.

Weasel is a rather dangerous animal, despite its miniature size. She moves quickly and is not afraid of any obstacles. However, there is also a benefit from these animals; they destroy mice. In the places where weasels live, the number of rodents is controlled by it, which provides significant assistance to humans.

When meeting this animal in nature, you need to be careful. The person will not frighten the animal; the animal will take the position of an attacker. And getting rid of his tenacious teeth is very difficult.

It is not clear where this name came from, because it is difficult to call Laska a gentle animal - although it is small, it is an agile and ferocious predator.

Weasel balances its modest size (body length hardly exceeds 25 cm) with unprecedented body flexibility, agility and speed.

What does Laska look like?

The Weasel's fur is a uniform reddish-brown color, only the neck and belly are painted white. With the onset of cold weather it grows new fur coat With long pile white- this is not only salvation from winter frosts, but also excellent camouflage, allowing Laska to be invisible against the backdrop of snowdrifts. This is where it came from Latin name Caresses - Mustela nivalis- what translates as " snowy".

Strong, short paws with sharp claws allow Weasel to climb trees well and tear apart mouse holes, but she has to move by jumping, arching her back high, and to look around, she has to stand on her hind legs and look out from behind the tall grass.

Where does Laska live?

Weasel does not have a permanent shelter; it uses secluded places to rest: rock crevices, spaces between roots and thickets of bushes; it rarely climbs trees.

Weasel widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found in forests and on open area among the bushes, and in overgrown clearings, in the tundra, steppes, on alpine meadows.

What does Weasel eat?

Weasel is not at all whimsical in choosing habitats; the main condition for Weasel’s residence is an abundance of food: voles are the basis for a healthy Weasel food, although she can diversify her diet with gape birds, bird eggs, large rodents, lizards and frogs, fish, and even snakes and rabbits, Weasel does not disdain insects.

Weasel Habits

In ancient times it was believed that meeting with Laska brings misfortune and such a belief did not appear out of nowhere. The weasel is a curious and impudent animal, it is not at all afraid of people and can easily steal a piece of kebab or a catch caught while fishing - it will do this quickly, efficiently and unnoticed. Her tricks are so quick and sudden that you don’t even have time to get angry.
There was also the opposite opinion that Caress brings happiness and good luck. Weasel in a short period of time is capable of exterminating a large population of rodents that cause considerable harm agriculture- thus it brings invaluable benefits to humans.

Laski's Lifestyle

The weasel can be active at any time of the day, but prefers to hunt at night.
With the onset of evening twilight Weasel goes hunting, her long slender body allows her to easily get into mouse holes, and her sharp claws easily cope with larger game.
With quick and dexterous movements, Weasel explores its hunting grounds, running more than 1 km per day.

IN winter time year, Weasel prefers to move in voids under thick snow, and if a lot of snow has fallen, it may not appear on the surface for a long time.
The weasel is a very prudent and thrifty animal; when it is well-fed, it stocks up, putting mouse carcasses in a secluded place - such a stash will be useful to her in times of famine.

The area of ​​Weasel's hunting area depends on the number of rodents that live on it: if there is enough food, Weasel can live on it for a long time. small area, and when there is less food, they move to places richer in food.

Each Weasel marks its territory a special odorous substance that is secreted by glands located under the tail. Weasels do not tolerate neighbors and when they meet each other they start a fight with squealing and showdown. Occasionally, the hunting grounds of a male and female may overlap along the perimeter

Reproduction of Weasels

The biorhythms of Weasels are closely related to the number of voles - the main food of Weasels: if there is a lot of food, then Weasels will produce offspring without interruption, 3-4 litters per year, and the number of puppies in a litter increases to 10 pieces, instead of the usual 4-5 puppies .
But if there is not enough food, then the number of puppies in the litter is reduced, and the number of pregnancies per year decreases.

Usually Weasel breeding season occurs at the end of spring, the male can run far beyond the boundaries of his territory in search of girlfriends. Having mated with one female, he goes in search of a new one, not participating in caring for the babies and completely avoiding paternal responsibilities.

Weasel's pregnancy lasts a little more than a month, 30-35 days.
Before the puppies are born, Weasel mother builds a cozy nest, which it arranges in a hollow, between the roots of trees, as well as in other people's holes, from which Laska drives the residents out. Weasel himself does not know how to dig holes. Weasel lines the floor and walls of the nest with dry grass, leaves, wool and moss - in such a nest children will be warm and safe, because they are born blind and helpless and weigh about 1.5 g.

For the first weeks of life, babies feed on mother's milk and remain in the nest. Only when they are fully strengthened do they begin to leave the nest and follow their mother, learn to eat adult food and acquire hunting skills.
3-4 months after birth, babies become completely independent from their mother and independent.

Weasel is the tiniest animal of the mustelidae family. Look at the photo, she has a beautiful flexible strong body with smooth contours and short little legs. The length of the body without a tail is no more than 24 centimeters, and an adult weasel weighs no more than 100 grams.

Is it true that the weasel animal can fit into a ring?

It is true that the head of a female weasel is so small that the animal can crawl into a mouse hole, even if the entrance to the hole is no more than one and a half centimeters! What does it look like animal, weasel look at the photo.

Here in the photo is a weasel animal that is already six months old, and it easily fits on the palm of a teenager’s hand.

The weasel animal has beautiful short thick fur, and the color cover varies depending on different time of the year. Weasel's summer outfit - brown back and remains white fur on the abdomen, and in winter, after molting, she has a white coat.

Weasel animal, what does it eat?

Weasel is a small but bloodthirsty animal - a predator. She usually hunts in the dark, so it is very difficult to see her. The main prey of the animal are weasels, lizards and frogs. The weasel easily climbs into the narrowest crevices, hollows, etc. This animal also knows how to climb trees to dine on bird eggs and chicks.

Very often the weasel visits homestead farms and dachas. This animal is simply the scourge of poultry and rabbit breeders. Having settled next to the farmstead, she will constantly bring pet rabbits to her children and can even kill an adult rabbit.

The action of petting an animal to destroy chickens.

The weasel animal is terrible because it absolutely knows no limits and kills in reserve, much more than is necessary to feed the entire family. Cases have been recorded where a weasel, once in a chicken coop, strangled all the birds in it. Here is an example photo of an animal Weasel killed an adult rabbit.

The weasel also loves to steal eggs, rolling them into his hole.

There is a belief that animal weasel tickles a cow and so she stops milking. This is almost true, a weasel drinks milk from a cow’s udder, and the cow’s milk disappears out of fear. But the belief that the weasel animal harms root crops is not true, the weasel is not interested in root crops, it is a predator and simply uses underground passages, dug by a mole, in order to get closer to the prey.

Weasels live in burrows, although it can also settle in natural crevices, under stones, in the ruins of buildings and even under woodpiles in the courtyard. He rarely builds a hole for himself, preferring to drive him out of the hole, whatever it is, field mouse, rats and even settles in mole holes.

The weasel animal is a caring mother; she alone feeds and raises up to seven babies for three whole months. True, for the first three weeks weasel puppies eat only milk, but they grow quickly and already hunt on their own at four months. The lifestyle of this one is solitary. Animal weasel“marks the territory in which to hunt and live, and the size of this territory can reach 10 hectares. The weasel marks its possessions with a pungent smell, like the smell of a skunk, well-known from cartoons.

How to get rid of a weasel animal

It is very difficult to rid a yard of weasels or to catch them; the animal is very careful and intelligent, and hunts only at night. And is it worth catching? It’s impossible to domesticate an adult weasel, at home Only puppies up to 1-2 months old take root, no older. If the weasel bothers your pets, you can try to catch it with a trap set near a hole or hole through which it enters, for example, into a chicken coop. A weasel ends up in a trap only through negligence, fleeing from a person or dog. Doesn't take poisoned food.

Very an interesting way to get rid of affection I observed in the village, a weasel got into the chicken coop through a twig that jumped out of the board. The owner stuffed three fishing hooks right inside the hole in the board; the hooks did not interfere with the animal getting into the chicken coop, but, escaping from the chicken coop, the weasel was strung on the hooks like .

Look photo of animal weasel– 12 pcs

This is what it looks like animal weasel photo

Weasel is a very aggressive and bloodthirsty animal., capable of committing daring robberies in the personal households of the population. However, the most surprising thing is that this weasel animal, If the place of which nature has “endowed” with such characteristics, is a very tiny and cute creature - its body length reaches an average of only 16-18 centimeters.

Description of weasel

The weasel has a flexible, quirky, long, thin body and is the smallest representative of the order of predators. Externally, the weasel is very similar to the ermine, resembling it both in the structure of the body and the color of the fur. The differences between them are the smaller size of the weasel and the uniform color of its slightly shorter tail than that of the ermine (up to 9 cm in length, without a dark tassel). At its base there are special glands that secrete a secretion with a disgusting, pungent odor.

The weasel's paws are small and armed with rather sharp claws.. The head is oblong, the ears are round and small. The nose is slightly forked and blunt at the end. The neck is long and powerful. The eyes are slightly protruding, dark and large. Externally, female weasels are no different from males - only in body size (they are 30 percent smaller). The length of the weasel varies on average from 11.4 to 21.6 centimeters, depending on the species. Body weight ranges from 40 g to 100 g.

Weasel fur is short and close-fitting. Its color depends on the season. In winter, the weasel has a white color, and in summer it is brownish-brown on the outside of the paws, in the tail, on the sides, back and top of the head - only the inner side paws, belly, chest, edge of the upper lip and throat. In terms of the quality of the density of the fur, the weasel's coat is always the same - both in summer and in winter, with the only difference being that in the warm season the hair is slightly shorter and thinner than in winter. In some southern habitats, the animal does not change color at all, remaining predominantly brown.

Weasel habits

The weasel excels at climbing, running and even swimming – it is such an agile and dexterous animal.. What distinguishes her habits is insolence, bloodthirstiness in attacks and courage, so she can often be found at night near a human dwelling, where she penetrates into the household through the narrowest holes and cracks. The weasel is active at different times of the day, but usually goes hunting at night or at dusk.

Traditionally, it leads a more terrestrial lifestyle. Moves in a jumping manner. When walking around the territory, it prefers to stick to bushes and other natural or artificial cover. He tries to avoid unprotected space. In one day, a weasel can cover one or two kilometers. In winter, it moves in snowy voids.

Due to their small stature, weasels often die when crushed by larger animals, but they often manage to gnaw the throats of their opponents.

Animal weasel photo

During fights, male weasels emit a very loud squeal.

Weasels live territorially and lead a solitary lifestyle. The size of their zones is quite small, extending within 10 hectares of land (this directly depends on weather conditions and plenty of food). Sometimes the females' areas overlap with the males' areas. The boundaries of the zone are usually marked by scent trails.

However, despite the body size, weasel is a rather dangerous animal, which is doubly enhanced by its excellent ability to run briskly, climb trees well and swim well - that is, this means that for the animal there are virtually no obstacles at all. At the same time, it is very useful to humans, since it exterminates mice and voles.

Weasel habitats

The habitat of the weasel covers very vast territories, which include Australia, Northern. America, Japan, Korean Peninsula, China, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq (northern part of the country), Asia Minor, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Europe. That is, this predatory mammal can be found on almost all continents of the planet. But the most widespread distribution of weasel is noted in North America, Northern Asia and Europe.

Where does the weasel live?

The weasel lives in a wide variety of biotopes, with the exception of the snow belt of the highlands and polar deserts. Its dwellings can be found in alpine meadows, in the tundra, desert, along the banks of reservoirs, in swamps, on the outskirts of fields, in low-lying and mountainous areas, forest-steppe, steppe, in forests and even close to human habitation.

The weasel does not make burrows on purpose, mastering what is available: it sets up its lair in barns, rodent burrows, ruins, low-lying hollows (up to two meters from ground level), firewood stacks, in rock crevices, among dead wood, in roots of trees and under stones among voids. The nest is lined with leaves of fern, chestnut, mosses or any dry vegetation.

If its habitat is suddenly discovered or disturbed by strangers, the weasel immediately leaves the nest - especially if it has cubs (it takes them to another place). However, in extreme and sudden danger, the animal is capable of sacrificially defending its lair until the very end, protecting it. Several permanent dwellings can be built on one site.

What does a weasel eat?

The diet of weasels consists almost entirely of mouse-like small rodents, which include rats, forest mice, field mice and house mice, as well as shrews and moles. She does not ignore chicks, pigeons, chickens, young rabbits, partridges, and hens. They are not averse to eating eggs (of any birds), making several holes in them and thus sucking out all the contents. During seasons of food shortage, it eats crayfish, large insects, small snakes (snakes, copperheads, vipers), lizards, small fish and all kinds of amphibians.

But despite the fact that the weasel is a bloodthirsty predator and robber, capable of attacking any small animal, it daily requirement in food is equal to 30...40 grams. The animal grabs small prey from above by the head or back of the head, and large prey from below by the throat. By exterminating rodents, the weasel does not allow them to reproduce, regulating the number in the territory where it lives, which greatly helps humans. Sometimes it makes reserves - for example, in one place you can often find from 1 to 30 mice and voles.

Question

The nimble weasel is the smallest animal among all predatory animals. It lives where there are especially many mouse-like rodents. By exterminating mice and voles, the weasel provides invaluable assistance to humans. Video and photo

Squad— Predators

Family— Kunya

Genus/Species— Mustela nivalis

Basic data and description:

LASKA. ANIMAL SIZES

Body length: 13-28 cm.

Tail length: no more than 9 cm.

Weight: males - up to 115 g, females - up to 69 g.

REPRODUCTION

Puberty: from 1 year.

Mating season: no data.

Pregnancy: 34-37 days.

Number of cubs: 3-10, usually 4-7.

Number of litters: for 1 year.

LIFESTYLE

Habits: weasels are brave and curious animals; They usually hunt at night; They prefer to stay alone.

What it eats: voles, mice, rabbits, birds and eggs.

Life expectancy of weasel: in nature - 1-2 years, in the life expectancy of an animal at home - up to 10 years.

RELATED SPECIES

Ermine, American and European mink.

Hand caress. Video

The weasel belongs to the weasel family. This animal is so small that in pursuit of prey, mainly mice and voles, it can even penetrate their burrows. The weasel kills its victims by gnawing their necks, and then uses their holes as temporary shelters.

WEASEL (ANIMAL) WHAT DOES IT EAT?

Weasels primarily feed on voles. But they can also catch animals larger than themselves, such as a rabbit. Each animal protects its own hunting territory, the size of which depends on the number of mice and voles.

With amazing dexterity, the weasel exterminates mice and voles, chasing them even in burrows and shelters and, on occasion, killing more than it can eat. Places where there are many mice are usually very densely populated by weasels.

In years when the number of rodents increases, the number of weasels increases accordingly. If the number of mice decreases, weasels produce very few offspring.

Weasel is a gentle predatory animal. Photo

These animals also hunt water voles and can climb trees, where they look for chicks or bird eggs in nests. Weasels usually hunt at night.

LIFESTYLE AND DESCRIPTION

The weasel lives in areas where populations of mice and voles are particularly abundant. Weasels are found in fields, among bushes, in overgrown clearings, and forest edges.

In the north of its range, the weasel is significantly less numerous than the ermine, but in the south, on the contrary, there are noticeably more weasels. The extent of the territories occupied by weasels depends on the amount of food. The area of ​​the hunting area of ​​the male weasel is about 4 hectares; the areas of the females are smaller and at times overlap with the allotments of the males. Animals mark their hunting grounds with secretions from scent glands located under their tails. Females do not leave their site all year. Males in the spring during mating season they go looking for a partner. Weasels take over the burrows of other animals.

Sometimes these small predatory animals chase and kill rabbits, but this happens less frequently than with stoats. Weasels move in short leaps and often stand on their hind legs to look around.

BREEDING WEASKS

The reproduction biology of weasels has not yet been studied well. It is known that pregnant females are caught both in summer and winter. Males and females form pairs only for the duration of mating. Pregnancy in weasels lasts from 34 days to 7-8 weeks. A litter can have from 3 to 10 babies. Their numbers increase in years of high mouse numbers. The female feeds the cubs with milk for 8 weeks. After this, the family stays together for another 1-2 weeks. Then the female begins to drive away the cubs.

WATCHING THE WEASEL

Weasel is the tiniest animal from the order of carnivores. Outwardly, it is very similar to an ermine, but smaller than it; in addition, the weasel's tail does not have a black tip. The back of the weasel is light brown in color, and the belly is white or yellowish. The tail is short. In winter, in the north of its range, the animal dresses in a snow-white coat. The weasel lives in places where there are many mouse-like rodents, but only in the absence of its competitor, the ermine. She often scampers in tall grass among bushes or over rocks. Sometimes the weasel rises on its hind legs to carefully look around. The weasel is not a timid animal and does not shy away from meeting people. If you are unexpectedly lucky enough to meet her in the forest, you must behave quietly and try not to make sudden movements. If a weasel notices a person, it lets go of its victim, runs away and hides. But if you quiet down for a few minutes, you can see how she returns for her prey. Sometimes you can attract affection by imitating the sounds that a baby rabbit makes - a quiet squeak.

GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DESCRIPTION

Weasel is the smallest predatory animal on Earth. The length of the weasel including the tail is only 17-32 cm. The largest weasels weigh only 100 g. It lives in Eurasia, Northern and Central Asia, North America and North Africa.

The weasel is an avid fighter of mice and other small rodents. She looks for them not only on the ground, but also underground, in their own burrows. The weasel even stores mice for the winter. This animal swims well, but almost never climbs trees. In the winter she puts on a white fur coat. Babies are born in a nest under the roots of trees and bushes or in holes left by mice.

• The weasel's favorite food is mice and voles, thanks to which, by hunting these pests, the weasel brings enormous benefits to humans.
• The weasel's hole can be found by all sorts of pieces of prey scattered near the entrance. Of course, first of all, these are the paws and tails of the animals she has eaten.
• In summer, the weasel's back is light brown and its belly is white. In winter in the north, the animal changes its fur coat to a snow-white one.
• The weasel's scent glands, located under its tail, secrete a secretion that smells the same as the secretion secreted by a ferret.
• Female weasels are so tiny that in the past they were even considered a separate species.

ANIMAL WEASEL – WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

The weasel is similar to the ermine, but smaller. It has a thin, elongated, surprisingly flexible body with a rather short tail without a black tip (the ermine has a black tail tip). In summer, the back of the weasel is light brown, the belly is white or yellowish, in winter the entire animal is snow-white.

The male is larger than the female. The length of its body without a tail sometimes reaches 28 cm, weight 115 g.

The length of the female without tail is about 20 cm, and the weight is 69 g.

— Weasel range

WHERE DOES THE WEASEL LIVE?

Distributed throughout Europe (only in Ireland), it is also found in North Africa, most of Asia, and North America. It is not available in some areas of the Far North and deserts Central Asia. Introduced to New Zealand.

PRESERVATION

Weasel populations are not in danger of extinction, but the number of animals nearby settlements is shrinking. The weasel is under protection.

Weasel is a brutal killer. The smallest predator. Video

Weasel plays with his hand. Video

Animal weasel in nature: what the animal looks like, what it eats

Report: Weasel

Plan
Introduction
1 Description
2 Food
3 Mating
4 History
5 Affection in culture
Bibliography

Introduction

(Common) weasel (lat. Mustela nivalis) is a predatory mammal of the mustelidae family. Found on almost all continents.

1. Description

Weasel is the smallest representative of the order of carnivores. The structure of the long, flexible body and the color of the fur are very similar to the ermine, but differ in its small size and shorter, and most importantly, monochromatic tail; She does not have a black tassel on her tail. The body of the weasel, like that of the ermine, is thin and long, with short legs armed with very sharp claws, an elongated head, small rounded ears, and a blunt and slightly forked nose at the end. At the base of the tail there are glands that secrete a liquid with an unpleasant odor.

By appearance males differ from females only comparatively large sizes bodies. The length of the animal varies, depending on which subspecies it belongs to, from 11.4 to 21.6 cm.

Weasel (Mustela nivalis)

Weight 40-100 g.

In summer fur, the top of the head, back, sides, tail and outer sides of the paws are uniformly brownish-brown. Throat, edge of upper lip, chest, belly and inner surface paws are pure white. There is a brown spot behind the corners of the mouth. The density of fur is the same in summer and winter, but summer hair is shorter and finer than winter hair. In autumn, the weasel, with the exception of some southern areas of its habitat, changes its brown summer plumage to pure white winter fur. Found in Europe, Northern Asia and North America.

Lives in fields and forests, in mountainous and lowland areas, without avoiding populated areas. Settles under stones, in hollows, in ruins, in burrows, barns, etc. The nest is lined with dry grass, moss, leaves of chestnuts and ferns.

2. Food

The weasel is very dexterous and agile, runs fast, climbs and swims well, is distinguished by great courage and aggressiveness and is a dangerous enemy for all small animals; its food consists of brownies, field and forest mice, rats, moles, young rabbits, chickens, pigeons, as well as lizards, copperheads, snakes, even vipers, frogs, insects. In places where it is not pursued, the weasel hunts both day and night. By exterminating mice, it brings great benefit, which, in any case, outweighs the harm it sometimes brings to chicken coops. Weasels sometimes successfully fight off even relatively large birds of prey(eg kites).

3. Mating

Mating occurs in March. After a five-week pregnancy, the female gives birth to 5 to 7, rarely 3 and 8 cubs, which she carefully guards and protects, carrying them in her teeth to another place in case of danger.

4. History

IN Ancient Rome and early medieval Europe, the weasel was a domestic animal because it hunted mice. However, due to the poor tameability of weasels and, in to a greater extent, with the appearance in Europe of the gray rat, which was difficult for the weasel to cope with, it was replaced as a protector of reserves in this role by other animals - ferrets (ferret), cats and for some time also genets.

5. Affection in culture

• In the cartoon " glacial period 3. Age of Dinosaurs” there is a weasel named Buck.
• In The Wind in the Willows there are also weasels who play the role of negative characters.
• In Jack London's story "White Fang", a weasel attacked the main character - a wolf cub
• In the cartoon Fantastic Mr. Fox, there is a weasel character who works as a real estate agent.

Bibliography:

1. Sokolov V. E. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Mammals. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., 1984. - P. 100. - 10,000 copies.

Common weasel, or just weasel - small predatory animal(mustelidae family), found in Europe, North America and northern Asia. This fur-bearing animal lives in forests, on the outskirts of fields, along the banks of reservoirs, in swamps, in deserts and steppes. Sometimes it settles near human habitation, but considers the snowy belt of mountains and the polar desert unsuitable for habitation.

The body of the weasel is elongated, from 11 to 21 cm long. Its weight is no more than 100 grams, but this does not prevent it from having the reputation of one of the most bloodthirsty predators. The weasel has many enemies: foxes, wolves, raccoon dogs, badgers, hawks, golden eagles, eagle owls and owls - all of them are not averse to feasting on the nimble animal. But the toothy, agile beauty does not give up without a fight: she can easily gnaw the offender’s throat, deftly slipping out of his grip at the last moment.

The color of the weasel is similar to that of an ermine. In summer, the upperparts are brownish-brown, with dark spots near the corners of the mouth. The belly, inside paws and chest are snow-white. In winter, the body turns completely white. Only in the south, where there is little snow, the color of the animal’s fur does not change.

The weasel swims well, runs fast and climbs trees well. She needs all this to catch her favorite prey: shrews, mice, moles, young rabbits, snakes, lizards, crayfish, small fish, insects. It happens that she destroys bird nests and robs chicken coops. Hunts at night, moving quickly in the dark in long leaps.

It is interesting that having settled close to a person, the weasel will never cause damage to the “owner”, but the entire area suffers from its outrages. However, she also does not disdain domestic mice and rats, which helps people a lot.

In nature, weasels live in the burrows of rodents that they kill. He doesn’t dig his own, why if there are ready-made ones? The bottom of the hole is covered with dry grass, moss, and leaves.

In a dry, clean and spacious burrow, the female gives birth to four to eight cubs. She touchingly cares for her offspring and fiercely defends them in danger. At the age of 4 months, the babies are already independent, and their mother can start mating again. IN good year A female weasel has 2-3 broods.

Weasels and hori - features of care and maintenance at home.

Video: Weasel plays with hand