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It is once again Friday, which means we are happy to post another round of “Find the Animal Friday,” my mostly regulate weekly post to help you get your eyes ready for your Yellowstone National Park wildlife watching adventure. This week, we are searching for the illusive short-tailed weasel, also known as an ermine.
Yellowstone National Park’s website has the following information to share about these awesome animals.
Identification
- 8–13 inches long, 2.1–7 ounces.
- Typical weasel shape: very long body, short legs, pointed face, long tail.
- Males about 40% larger than females.
- Fur is light brown above and white below in summer; all white in winter except for tail, which is black-tipped all year.
- Compare to long-tailed weasel and marten.
Habitat
- Eat voles, shrews, deer mice, rabbits, rats, chipmunks, grasshoppers, and frogs.
- Found in willows and spruce forests.
Behavior
- Breed in early to mid-summer; 1 litter of 6–7 young per year.
- Can leap repeatedly three times their length.
- Will often move through and hunt in rodent burrows.
More than likely, you will not get a glimpse of one of these adorable animals while visiting the park.
However, if you do, consider yourself blessed with great timing.
Also, good luck getting a great picture of one unless you have a lot of time and patience. They can be quite difficult to photograph.
