Biome Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest. Temperate grasslands. Temperate coniferous forest. Rock and ice. Climate zones Temperate. Habits and Lifestyle This species is largely crepuscular or nocturnal but is sometimes active during the day. Group name. Terrestrial, Altricial. Diet and Nutrition Ermine are carnivores and prey on small, warm-blooded vertebrates, particularly mammals the size of rabbits or smaller. Diet Carnivore. Population Trend.
Least concern LC. Population Population threats Potential threats include increasing access and the unrestricted trapping by people, habitat fragmentation and loss, interactions with introduced species, as well as changes in prey availability.
Population number Ermine is an abundant species and it has a wide circumpolar distribution, but no overall population estimate is available. Ecological niche Ermine are important predators of small mammal communities within the ecosystems where they live. Fun Facts for Kids 10 Nearctic and 16 Palearctic ermine subspecies are recognized. Ermine are very skillful tree climbers and are able to go down a trunk headfirst, as squirrels do. Ermine move in a zigzag manner, and after each leap will bounce 20 inches from the ground.
They can travel further than 9 miles in a night to find food. Even though ermine inhabit areas with very cold winters, they are active during the entire year. Although ermine are mostly terrestrial, they are able to climb trees and they swim well. Ermine have a bad smell which serves to keep other ermine away.
At 7 weeks old, male babies are larger than their mothers. References 1. Included in Lists Mammals of Netherlands. Mammals of Lithuania. Mammals of Slovakia. Mammals of Pakistan. Related Animals Black-Footed Ferret.
European Mink. Least Weasel. The notion that the weasels suck the blood of the prey is a myth. However, before they begin to feed on flesh and internal organs, weasels often lick the blood from the wounds. An ermine requires a daily quantity of food equivalent percent of its body weight, and because of the uncertainty of locating prey, often kills more than it can eat at once, caching the excess.
In spite of this adaptive behavior, starvation is a common source of mortality, especially when small mammal populations decline. Activity and Movement: Ermine alternate periods of rest or sleep with bouts of activity throughout a hour cycle.
They are active at all seasons, and in winter move on the surface of crusted snow and tunnel through soft snow, stopping occasionally to thrust the head above the surface, apparently to determine the route of travel. Ermine swim and climb well, but spend most of their time on the ground where they move by bounding, covering 50 cm 20 in with each bound, or by running. When startled or pursuing prey, an ermine can leap 1. Reproduction: The female bears her annual litter of average 6 in April or May.
The nutrition available to the female is an important determinant of both liter size and survival; a female tends to have larger litters and more young survive to maturity when prey, especially small rodents, is abundant. At birth, young ermine weigh about 2 g 0. Their eyes open at days, the females first. They begin to eat some solid food at this age but continue to nurse until weeks old.
At 3 months, ermine are capable of capturing their own food. Age at first breeding is 6 months or less for females; one year for males. The gestation period for this species is days.
Most embryonic development occurs during the last 28 days of pregnancy. Adults mate while the female is still nursing her current litter mid-summer ; juvenile females may be bred before they are weaned.
Potential longevity is 6 or 7 years, but few ermine survive more than months. Predators: Few predators consistently prey on the ermine because of its aggressiveness and agility. Great horned owls, goshawks, foxes, coyotes, and even the long tailed weasel occasionally kill ermine. Hall, E. American weasels. Hamilton, W. Shrews are believed to carry this parasite. Ermine, and other Mustela species can take domestic fowl when they can gain access to them.
Humans trap thousands of ermine each season, but the demand for pelts has recently decreased. The white winter fur has long been used in trimming coats and making stoles. Ermine are excellent at catching mice , which makes them valuable to humans. Ermine are not considered threatened or endangered, although hunting pressure in some areas may impact populations severely. Baker, Rollin H. Michigan Mammals, pg.
Michigan State Univeristy. Edger, Judith L. Patterns of geographic variation in the skull of Nearctic Ermine Mustela erminea.
Canadian Journal of Zoology, National Research. Jones, J. Knox and Elmer C. Handbook of Mammals of the North-Central States, pg. University of Minnesota Press, Minnesota. King, Carolyn M. Mammalian Species, Kurta, Allen. Mammals of the Great Lakes, pg. University of Michigan Press, Michigan.
Nowak, Ronald M. Walker's Mammals of the World, Ruff, S. Washington [D. Animal Diversity Web Cybertracker Tools. All rights reserved. Skip directly to main content. Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species. Critter Catalog. Information Pictures Specimens Classification. Other Physical Features endothermic homoiothermic bilateral symmetry Sexual Dimorphism male larger Range mass 25 to g 0. Biogeographic Regions nearctic native palearctic native Other Geographic Terms holarctic What kind of habitat do they need?
These animals are found in the following types of habitat temperate terrestrial Terrestrial Biomes tundra taiga savanna or grassland forest scrub forest mountains Other Habitat Features riparian How do they reproduce? Both male and female ermine have many different mates. Mating System polygynandrous promiscuous Ermine mate in late spring to early summer.
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