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Long-tailed Weasel

 
Long Tailed Weasel

 
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Long-tailed Weasel
 
 
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The Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) is the most widely distributed mustelid in the New World
New World

The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth, specifically the Americas and Australasia. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans, who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia, and Africa ....
. Its range extends from southern Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 through most of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 to Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
, Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
 and the northern parts of South America
South America

South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere....
. It is generally found in open or semi-open habitats near water.

This is a typical weasel
Weasel

Weasels are mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family .Originally, the name "weasel" was applied to one species of the genus, the European form of the Least Weasel ....
 with a long slender body, short legs and a bushy tail that is almost as long as the rest of the animal.






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The Long-tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata) is the most widely distributed mustelid in the New World
New World

The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth, specifically the Americas and Australasia. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans, who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia, and Africa ....
. Its range extends from southern Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 through most of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 to Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
, Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
 and the northern parts of South America
South America

South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere....
. It is generally found in open or semi-open habitats near water.

This is a typical weasel
Weasel

Weasels are mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family .Originally, the name "weasel" was applied to one species of the genus, the European form of the Least Weasel ....
 with a long slender body, short legs and a bushy tail that is almost as long as the rest of the animal. Adult males measure from 33 to 45 cm (14 to 18 in)(including their tails), and may weigh up to 450g (1 lb); females are typically about 15% smaller. They are gingerish-brown in colour, with yellowish-white belly fur, but in the northern parts of their range they moult to pure white in winter. The tip of the tail is black in all seasons.

Like most weasels, Long-tailed Weasels mainly eat rodents, their slender bodies enabling them to pursue their prey into their burrows. They are most active at night but are sometimes seen during the day. They are highly solitary, and their home range
Home range

Home range is a concept that can be traced back to a publication in 1943 by W. H. Burt, who constructed maps delineating the spatial extent or outside boundary of an animal's movement during the course of its everyday activities....
s do not overlap with another member of the species of the same sex (though each male's home range may include several females' home ranges). Their young are born helpless, but by 56 days are able to catch prey independently.

They are able to climb trees and are also good swimmers.