Stoat
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Stoat
Mammal
A small, fierce predator that turns completely white in winter.
💡 Fun Facts
- In winter, their coat turns white (known as ermine) except for a distinctive black tip on the tail.
- They are capable of taking down prey much larger than themselves, like rabbits.
- They perform a mesmerizing 'dance' with leaps and flips to confuse their prey before striking.
Name Story
Mustela erminea
means “the ermine weasel”
What does its name mean?
- Mustela — weaselLatin
- erminea — ermine — the stoat in its white winter coat with a black tail-tipLatinised from Old French (h)ermine
One animal, two identities hidden in its names: in summer it is the brown 'stoat', but in cold winters its coat turns white, and then it is the 'ermine' — the prized white fur with black tail-tips once worn on the robes of kings and judges.