Weasels are mammal

Mammal

Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...

s forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae

Mustelidae

Mustelidae , commonly referred to as the weasel family, are a family of carnivorous mammals. Mustelids are diverse and the largest family in the order Carnivora, at least partly because in the past it has been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa...

 family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs.

Weasels vary in length from 12 to 45 cm (4.7 to 17.7 in), and usually have a red or brown upper coat and a white belly; some populations of some species moult

Moult

In biology, moulting or molting , also known as sloughing, shedding, or for some species, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body , either at specific times of year, or at specific points in its life cycle.Moulting can involve the epidermis , pelage...

 to a wholly white coat in winter. They have long slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Their tails may be from 22 to 33 cm (8.7 to 13 in) long. Weasels have a reputation for cleverness and guile.

Weasels feed on small mammals, and have from time to time been considered vermin

Vermin

Vermin is a term applied to various animal species regarded by some as pests or nuisances and especially to those associated with the carrying of disease. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included will vary from area to area and even person to person...

 since some species took poultry

Poultry

Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...

 from farms, or rabbit

Rabbit

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

s from commercial warrens. Weasels occur all across the world except for Antarctica, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, and neighbouring islands

Wallace Line

The Wallace Line separates the ecozones of Asia and Wallacea, a transitional zone between Asia and Australia. West of the line are found organisms related to Asiatic species; to the east, a mixture of species of Asian and Australian origin is present...

.

Terminology

The English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 word "weasel" was originally applied to one species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of the genus, the Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an form of the Least Weasel

Least Weasel

The least weasel is the smallest member of the Mustelidae , native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, though it has been introduced elsewhere. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large population...

 (Mustela nivalis). This usage is retained in British English

British English

British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...

, where the name is also extended to cover several other small species of the genus. It is thought that the name "weasel" comes from the Anglo-Saxon root "weatsop" meaning "a vicious bloodthirsty animal". However, in technical discourse and in American usage the term "weasel" can refer to any member of the genus, or to the genus as a whole. Of the 17 extant species currently classified in the genus Mustela, ten have "weasel" in their common name. Among those that do not are the stoat

Ermine

Ermine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials...

 or ermine, the polecat

Polecat (disambiguation)

A polecat is an animal. The term may refer to:Animals* Several species of the weasel family of animals, including:** The Marbled Polecat, Vormela peregusna** The Steppe Polecat, Mustela eversmanii** The Striped Polecat, Ictonyx striatus...

s, the ferret

Ferret

The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...

, and the European Mink

European mink

The European mink , also known as the Russian mink, is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to Europe. It is listed by the IUCN as Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as being more than 50% over the past three generations...

 (the superficially similar American Mink

American Mink

The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...

 is now regarded as belonging in another genus, Neovison).

Collective nouns for a group of weasels include boogle, gang, pack, sneak and confusion.

Species

The following information is according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System

Integrated Taxonomic Information System

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System is a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ITIS was originally formed in 1996 as an interagency group within the U.S...

.

Mustela africana	Desmarest, 1800	Tropical weasel	South America South America South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
Mustela altaica Mountain Weasel The mountain weasel , also known as the pale weasel, Altai weasel or solongoi, is a species of weasel that prefer to live in environments that are usually high in altitude as well as rocky tundra and grassy woodlands covered in green vegetation.They rest in rock crevices, tree trunks, and...	Pallas, 1811	Mountain weasel	Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...  & Northern Asia Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... Southern Asia
Mustela erminea Ermine Ermine has several uses:* A common name for the stoat * The white fur and black tail end of this animal, which is historically worn by and associated with royalty and high officials...	Linnaeus, 1758	Stoat Ermine Short-tailed weasel	Europe & Northern Asia North America Southern Asia (non-native) New Zealand (non-native)
Mustela eversmannii Steppe polecat The steppe polecat , also known as the white or masked polecat, is a species of Mustelid native to Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia...	Lesson, 1827	Steppe polecat	Europe & Northern Asia Southern Asia
Mustela felipei Colombian Weasel Colombian weasel , also known as Don Felipe's weasel, is a very rare species of weasel only known with certainty from the departments of Huila and Cauca in Colombia and nearby northern Ecuador...	Izor and de la Torre, 1978	Colombian weasel	South America
Mustela frenata Long-tailed Weasel The long-tailed weasel , also known as the bridled weasel or big stoat is a species of mustelid distributed from southern Canada throughout all the United States and Mexico, southward through all of Central America and into northern South America.-Evolution:The long-tailed weasel is the product of...	Lichtenstein, 1831	Long-tailed weasel	Middle America North America South America
Mustela itatsi Japanese Weasel The Japanese weasel is a carnivorous mammal belonging to the genus Mustela in the family Mustelidae. It is native to Japan where it occurs on the islands of Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku...	Temminck, 1844	Japanese weasel	Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...  & Sakhalin Is. (Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... )
Mustela kathiah Yellow-bellied Weasel The yellow-bellied weasel is a species of weasel. It lives in the pine forests of Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. The yellow-bellied weasel is rated "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. The yellow-bellied weasel is named for its yellow-colored underbelly. The...	Hodgson, 1835	Yellow-bellied weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela lutreola European mink The European mink , also known as the Russian mink, is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to Europe. It is listed by the IUCN as Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as being more than 50% over the past three generations...	(Linnaeus, 1761)	European mink	Europe & Northern Asia
Mustela lutreolina Indonesian Mountain Weasel The Indonesian mountain weasel is a species of weasel that lives on the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia at elevations over 1,000 metres . They live in mountainous, tropical, and rainforest areas. Indonesian mountain weasels have a body length of 11-12 inches and a tail length of 5-6 inches...	Robinson and Thomas, 1917	Indonesian mountain weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela nigripes Black-footed Ferret The Black-footed Ferret , also known as the American polecat or Prairie Dog Hunter, is a species of Mustelid native to central North America. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations...	(Audubon and Bachman, 1851)	Black-footed ferret	North America
Mustela nivalis Least Weasel The least weasel is the smallest member of the Mustelidae , native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa, though it has been introduced elsewhere. It is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large population...	Linnaeus, 1766	Least weasel	Europe & Northern Asia North America Southern Asia (non-native) New Zealand (non-native)
Mustela nudipes Malayan Weasel The Malayan weasel is a species of weasel. It lives in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It is rated "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. Malayan weasels have a body length of 12-14 inches and a tail length of 9.4 to 10.2 inches. The body is reddish-brown to grayish-white. The head is a...	Desmarest, 1822	Malayan weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela putorius European polecat The European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark...	Linnaeus, 1758	European polecat Domesticated Ferret Ferret The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...  (ssp. furo)	Europe & Northern Asia New Zealand (ssp. furo) (non-native)
Mustela sibirica Siberian Weasel The Siberian weasel , also known as the Kolonok, is a medium-sized species of weasel native to Asia. It is classed as Least Concern for extinction by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumably large numbers....	Pallas, 1773	Siberian weasel	Europe & Northern Asia Southern Asia
Mustela strigidorsa	Gray, 1855	Back-striped weasel	Southern Asia
Mustela subpalmata Egyptian Weasel The Egyptian Weasel is a species of weasel that lives in northern Egypt. It is rated "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List. The Egyptian weasel has short legs, a small head, and small ears. Its tail is long and thin. The weasel has a broad snout. The upper part of the body is brown and the lower...	Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833	Egyptian weasel	Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

¹ Europe & Northern Asia division excludes China.

The extinct "Sea mink" was commonly included in this genus as Mustela macrodon, but in 1999 was moved to the genus Neovison

Neovison

A genus of Mustelids, including the extinct sea mink and the extant American mink....

.

Weasels in popular culture

Weasels are often the subject of the children's song and nursery rhyme, "Pop Goes the Weasel

Pop Goes the Weasel

"Pop! Goes the Weasel" is an English language nursery rhyme and singing game. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 5249.-Lyrics:There are many different versions of the lyrics to the song...

." Also, a weasel named Dunglap (voiced by John Kassir

John Kassir

John Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise...

) is one of the title characters' best friends in CatDog

CatDog

CatDog is an American animated television series which premiered on April 4, 1998, and ended with an unaired episode on September 22, 2004. The series was created for Nickelodeon by Peter Hannan. It was also shown as a sneak peek in theaters with The Rugrats Movie...

.

In Brian Jacques' "Redwall

Redwall

Redwall, by Brian Jacques, is a series of fantasy novels. It is the title of the first book of the series, published in 1986, the name of the Abbey featured in the book, and the name of an animated TV series based on three of the novels , which first aired in 1999...

" series, weasels are depicted as evil and greedy. They are often the enemy and antagonists in the stories.

Weasels, ferrets and stoats were the enemies of Toad of Toad Hall in the popular children's classic The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows is a classic of children's literature by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, it focuses on four anthropomorphised animal characters in a pastoral version of England...

.

The weasel is said to be the patronus charm of book and movie character Arthur Weasley in JK Rowling's series "Harry Potter

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...

".

In Who framed Roger Rabbit Judge Doom has cartoon weasels as henchmen

External links