Weasel or Stoat? How to Tell the Difference | Discover Wildlife | Robert E Fuller

As an artist, filmmaker and conservationist, I've devoted many years to studying, filming and rescuing both weasels and stoats. This is my definitive guide on how to tell the difference between them.

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ABOUT THIS FILM
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Difficult to ID
Weasels & stoats are notoriously difficult to tell apart, so much so that attempts to distinguish them have given rise to the well-known joke,: ‘a weasel is weasel-ey recognised and a stoat is stoat-ally different’.

Stoat & weasel studies
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by both species. I’ve spent countless hours photographing and filming them and they’ve inspired lots of my paintings. I've also rescued and rehabilitated a great many, releasing them back in to wild when the time is right.

UK species
In this film I address just the two weasel and stoat species found here in the UK: the weasel mustela nivalis and the stoat mustela erminea

Mustelids
Weasels and Stoats are part of the mustelid family, a diverse family of carnivorous mammals made up of around 65 species including otters, badgers, martens and more.

Stoats & weasels around the world
They live on all continents apart from Antarctica, but have different names depending on where you are in the world. The weasel, common weasel, least weasel and little weasel all refer to Mustela nivalis . Whilst stoat, Eurasian ermine, ermine and short-tailed weasel, all refer to Mustela erminea. 

Size difference
Often all you ever see of a stoat or a weasel is a flash as one runs across a path or road, so my first tip is to think about their size. Weasels are the world's smallest carnivores, just 25cm long and weighing as little as 50g. Stoats can be up to 40cm and weigh up to 450g!
 
Tail
If you can, look at the tail. Weasels have a short, stubby one, light brown all the way to the tip, whilst a stoat's is much longer and ends in a striking black tip .

Colour
Their coat colour also differs. Weasels are a lighter, ginger colour, whilst stoats are darker red. Both species have the ability to turn white in winter, although not all do, and UK weasels stay brown all year.

Close up differences
If you are able to get a close-up look, weasels have two brown spots behind their jaw, they also have smaller ears and the line that separates the lighter underbelly from the dark fur on the back  is jagged on a weasel and straight on a stoat.

Identifying baby stoats from weasels
It gets even harder to tell the difference between their young, but here you can consider the time of year. Stoats only have one litter, in spring, whilst weasels are fast and reactive breeders and can have two or three litters a year between March and December.

Stoats and weasel similarities.
The two species are very similar. They’re the two smallest mustelids in the UK; both have long, thin bodies with short legs, staying close to the ground; and bother are lightning fast with a powerful jump.

Fearless
Both species are fearless and won't hesitate to try to see off kestrels, owls and more. They will also challenge one another. Sometimes the consequences are severe.

ABOUT ME
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I am a British wildlife artist and filmmaker on a mission to share my love for wildlife with the world. As well as creating detailed animal film and art portraits, I promote wildlife tours around the world and do all I can to help conserve and protect wildlife here at my home in Yorkshire. I hope that by putting nature in the frame I can foster a deep love for wildlife amongst my followers.

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CHAPTERS
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00:00 Stoat & weasel habitats
01.17 Difficult ID
01.34 Names differ round the world
02:09 Mustelids
03:17 Paintings
04:07 Size difference
04.49 Tail
06:36 How to ID young
07:52 Similarities
09.09 Fearless
09:52 Stoats vs weasels
11:03 Recap


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© Robert E Fuller

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