{"id":11053,"date":"2022-04-27T18:43:15","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T18:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=11053"},"modified":"2022-04-27T22:33:24","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T22:33:24","slug":"ermine-vs-sable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/ermine-vs-sable\/","title":{"rendered":"Ermine Vs Sable: Side By Side"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve ever seen a small, cute, short-legged mammal covered in brown fur, you might have just assumed it was a weasel. But did you know there are many different closely-related mammals found in the same family as weasels? Today, we\u2019re going to compare and contrast two of these species\u2013the ermine vs. the sable. Keep reading to learn more about these adorable creatures!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an Ermine?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"What
Ermine<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ermine<\/a> is a cute little creature also referred to as a stoat, short-tailed weasel, or Bonaparte weasel. It is widely distributed throughout northern parts of Eurasia and North America. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ermines do not grow very large; they are only 5 to 12 inches long and weigh less than a pound. Those living further north are smaller than the ones found further south, and females are generally smaller than males.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ermines belong to the Mustelid family, the same as weasels, minks, sables, and a variety of other small mammals. Ermines prefer to live in wooded areas and forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ermines are easily identified and distinguished from other Mustelids by their black tails. The rest of their bodies are brown in summer and turn white or mostly white in the winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ermines look very similar to ferrets\u2013they have short legs, long tails, and adorable mouse-like faces with small, rounded ears. The coat of the ermine was once commonly used in European royal robes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are more than 35 subspecies of ermine found in the wild. Ermines give birth to anywhere from 3 to 13 babies following a long gestation period of up to 10 months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ermines may be small and cute, but they are powerful, agile carnivores.  They eat other small mammals, birds, bird eggs, frogs, insects, and sometimes fish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ermines will sometimes take on prey much larger than themselves, as seen in the following video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HNbqvqf3-14<\/a>