Small they may be, but stoats are unafraid to take on prey more than five times their size. Able to follow prey into underground burrows, across water, or up trees, there are few challenges stoats won't take on to get their next meal.
Although common and widespread in the UK countryside, stoats are a rare sight. You might spot a quick flash as they streak past in search of prey.
Stoats and our canals
Our canal network provides connected hedgerows and scrubland for stoats to move around its territory under the cover of thick vegetation. The waterways offer a variety of well-protected habitats and safe passage for this elusive creature.
The stoat is a long, thin animal with short legs and thick fur. They have an orange-brown back, a white throat and belly, and a long tail with a black tail. This black tip is thought to distract predators – like birds of prey – who might focus on the tail instead of more vulnerable areas.
In winter, it is not unusual for the stoat's fur to turn completely white. At this time, they are called 'ermine'. Stoats in warmer parts of the UK might take on a patchier appearance.
A stoat with small, round ears, black eyes, and brown fur with a white underside pokes its head out from the ground.
What do stoats eat?
Rabbits are the stoat's preferred prey, but they will eat anything from rodents to birds and their eggs if given the opportunity. Energetic and lithe, stoats can easily pursue mice and voles underground or climb a tree to scavenge a bird nest. Add to the mix that stoats can kill animals much larger than themselves, and you have a fearsome predator on your hands.
Stoats are also reputed to transfix rabbits by 'dancing'. Leaping and thrashing, the stoat seems to hypnotise the rabbit to get within striking distance. Although, it's unclear if this is a genuine hunting technique.
How do stoats breed?
Normally solitary animals, stoats come together to mate in summer. Delayed implantation means that young (known as kits) aren't born until the spring. Stoats typically have between six to 12 kits in a litter, caring for them for about three months.
Female kits can become pregnant just a few weeks after being born. But with delayed implantation, they won't give birth until maturing ten months later.
Where do stoats live?
Stoats are relatively widespread throughout England and Wales. Living in most habitats – from farm and grassland to woodland and canal-side hedgerows – stoats are happy as long as there is food to eat and shelter to nest in. They like to avoid spending too much time in open habitats where they're vulnerable to predators, instead using linear structures to move around.
It's hard to spot more than a fleeting glimpse of a stoat. However, if you're patient, stand vigil at a rabbit warren to see a stoat on the hunt for its next meal.
What's the best time of day to spot stoats?
Stoats are largely nocturnal but can sometimes be spotted during daylight hours. They make their dens in hollow trees, burrows, or dry-stone walls. Look out for them along waterways flowing near moorland, woods, and mountains.
What's the best time of year to spot stoats?
You may spot stoat footprints by our canals in winter. After the vegetation dies, November is a good time to see stoats.
What's the difference between a stoat and a weasel?
Although very similar to weasels in appearance, stoats (on the left) are usually larger with a black tip to the tail. They walk with distinctive bounding gait and arched back, whereas weasels (on the right) tend to slouch low to the ground.
Threats to stoat
Stoats are believed to be widespread and relatively common. However, the loss of habitats and food sources may impact the stoat population in the UK. That's why it's important that we maintain our network for wildlife, like stoats, to survive and thrive.
