Long-tailed weasel

Uses a hunting technique known as the Weasel War Dance that involves a series of frenetic turns, manic twists, and jumps to confuse the prey

Matt Lavin

Long-tailed weasels have brown fur on the upper side and yellowish-white belly fur with a black-tipped tail. They also have a long narrow body, long whiskers, and a long tail, about 50% of their body. Although they look cute and cuddly, they are relentless and ferocious predators with a fearless attitude about attacking bigger animals.

They mainly prey on rodents and sometimes eat lizards, small birds, and fruits. These weasels rely on scent and sound to detect their prey and kill them by biting the base of the prey’s skull. They are also very aggressive when protecting their territory from intruders.

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Belize
2015
Bolivia
2015
Brazil
2015
Canada
2015
Colombia
2015
Costa Rica
2015
Ecuador
2015
El Salvador
2015
Guatemala
2015
Honduras
2015
Mexico
2015
Nicaragua
2015
Panama
2015
Peru
2015
United States
2015
Venezuela
2015

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Terrestrial / Aquatic

Altricial / Precocial

Polygamous / Monogamous

Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

Migratory: Yes / No

Domesticated: Yes / No

Dangerous: Yes / No