{"id":9893,"date":"2021-11-09T08:47:18","date_gmt":"2021-11-09T08:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9893"},"modified":"2022-04-27T19:04:57","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T19:04:57","slug":"ermine-vs-weasel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/ermine-vs-weasel\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Difference Between An Ermine And A Weasel?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <em>Mustela <\/em>genus contains a wide variety of small creatures that sometimes look similar. Naturally, this can lead to some confusion over species identification. When coupled with the fact that two English-speaking nations refer to creatures in the genus differently, <strong>it\u2019s no wonder that not everyone knows the difference between an ermine and a weasel. <\/strong>In this article, we\u2019ll go over how to tell the difference, and how to identify weasels.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are Weasels and Ermine the Same?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/4-1.jpg\" alt=\"easels and Ermine the Same\" class=\"wp-image-9861\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/4-1.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/4-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/4-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/4-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people are surprised to learn that <strong>an ermine is the same thing as a weasel. To be more specific, an ermine is a type of weasel.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All weasels belong to the genus <em>Mustela<\/em>, which is in a family of animals called <em>Mustelidae<\/em>. Although all weasels are in the same genus, <em>Mustela <\/em>members are not all weasels. <em>Mustela <\/em>includes many species, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Mink<\/li><li>Ferrets<\/li><li>Least weasels<\/li><li>Short-tailed weasels\/stoat<\/li><li>Polecats<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When the term <em>\u201cweasel\u201d<\/em> originated, at first it only identified to one species of the genus &#8211; the least weasel, or <em>Mustela nivalis<\/em>. The least weasel is the smallest member of the genus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, the <em>Mustela <\/em>genus grew to refer to many other related creatures. In British English, when one mentions the term <em>\u201cweasel\u201d,<\/em> they are still typically referring to one specific species &#8211; the least weasel. In American English, <em>\u201cweasel\u201d<\/em> encompasses several different species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is an Ermine a Long-Tailed Weasel?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ermines, also known as short-tailed weasels or stoats, are one of the smaller species of the weasel family. <\/strong>Although they may look similar, <strong>they are different from long-tailed weasels<\/strong>. Here are some of the distinct characteristics of each creature:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Long-Tailed Weasel (<em>Mustela frenata<\/em>)&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Also known as the bridled weasel, this furry mustelid is native to southern Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. To make things even more confusing, long-tailed weasels are also sometimes called big stoats.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Like ermines, the long-tailed weasel has a long, slender body, short legs, brown fur on the top, and white fur on its belly. Both species have black tips at the end of their tail.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the winter, some long-tailed weasels gradually shed their brown fur and replace it with a white coat. This only happens in certain regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Long-tailed weasels, as you might have guessed, have longer tails than ermines. They typically weigh anywhere from 3 to 9 \u00bd oz, with a length of 11 to 22 inches long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Short-tailed Weasel (<em>Mustela erminea<\/em>)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ermines are mostly native to Eurasia and northern parts of the United States and Canada. These petite creatures generally weigh around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnr.state.mn.us\/mammals\/weasel.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2 to 5 oz and measure 7 to 14 inches long<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ermines are known for the pristine white coat they don in the winter. <\/strong>They molt each winter, gradually <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/how-does-the-ermine-adapt-to-the-tundra\/\">growing white fur<\/a> in place of their usual brown.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Unlike long-tailed weasels, all ermines usually molt regardless of geographic location. <\/strong>This is partially why ermines were historically sought after amongst the wealthy and royalty &#8211; their pure white coat was used to make clothing and decor, which became a status symbol.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do You Identify a Weasel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/6-1.jpg\" alt=\"How Do You Identify a Weasel\" class=\"wp-image-9863\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/6-1.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/6-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/6-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/6-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are many species of weasels, they all share some basic characteristics. Here\u2019s how to tell if you\u2019ve spotted a weasel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Body:<\/strong> Weasels have long, thin bodies with short legs in comparison.<\/li><li><strong>Head:<\/strong> They have rounded ears and small heads, which sit atop long necks.<\/li><li><strong>Movement:<\/strong> Due to their body shape, they have a distinct walk &#8211; their bodies curve upwards, which evokes the movement of a worm when they walk.<\/li><li><strong>Habitat:<\/strong> You can expect to find a weasel mostly in wooded areas amongst lush foliage, tree roots, and hidden in piles of rocks. If you catch a glimpse, it\u2019s usually fleeting, since they are <a href=\"https:\/\/extension.unh.edu\/blog\/2018\/02\/looking-weasels\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">high-energy creatures<\/a> that move very quickly.<\/li><li><strong>Color:<\/strong> Weasels have brown fur on the top of their bodies, with white fur on their belly. Most species turn white in the winter, aside from some in select locations.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the discrepancy in the nomenclature, ermines are a great representative of the weasel genus. Like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/ermine-vs-sable\/\">other species<\/a> of mustelids, their cute, small, furry bodies are in stark contrast to their vicious hunting habits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more general facts about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/ermine\/\">this fascinating animal<\/a>, check out this video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"container-lazyload preview-lazyload container-youtube js-lazyload--not-loaded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e5sfmZRfeck\" class=\"lazy-load-youtube preview-lazyload preview-youtube\" data-video-title=\"The Weasel Family is Fierce! | Natural World: Weasels | BBC Earth\" title=\"Play video &quot;The Weasel Family is Fierce! | Natural World: Weasels | BBC Earth&quot;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e5sfmZRfeck<\/a><noscript>Video can&#8217;t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e5sfmZRfeck\" title=\"The Weasel Family is Fierce! | Natural World: Weasels | BBC Earth\">The Weasel Family is Fierce! | Natural World: Weasels | BBC Earth (https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e5sfmZRfeck)<\/a><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Mustela genus contains a wide variety of small creatures that sometimes look similar. Naturally, this can lead to some confusion over species identification. When coupled with the fact that two English-speaking nations refer to creatures in the genus differently, it\u2019s no wonder that not everyone knows the difference between an ermine and a weasel. &#8230; <a title=\"What Is The Difference Between An Ermine And A Weasel?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/ermine-vs-weasel\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about What Is The Difference Between An Ermine And A Weasel?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[110],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9893"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9893"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11057,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9893\/revisions\/11057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}