Up until last October, I had no idea that there were wild weasels in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t know why but it just never occurred to me that these animals lived in the wild here but it’s true! There are a couple kinds of wild weasels that call the Northwest home. Here are some fun facts about these animals:
[ONE] There are short and long-tailed weasels, distinguishable by the length of their tails! Long-tailed weasels can be found in North America while short-tailed weasels are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. Some short-tailed weasels are even found as far north as the Arctic!
[TWO] Both types of weasels are carnivores and will eat other animals like mice, rabbits, insects, and chipmunks. Short-tailed weasels will also live in the burrows of the animals they kill and will sometimes kill more than they can eat immediately. The extra is buried and eaten later.
[THREE] Many short-tailed weasels in North America will change colors during the winter from brown to white. However, the short-tailed weasels in the Olympic Peninsula don’t! They stay their usual brown all year round.
[FOUR] Weasels are in the same family as otters, fishers, and minks! They are all a part of the Mustelidae family.
[FIVE] Weasels will often eat 40%+ of their body weight each day and will often eat rodents (especially mice!). If mice aren’t around, they’ll also eat birds, fish, insects, pikas, and shrews!