Weasel
| Weasels | ||||||||||||
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Long-tailed Weasel | ||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
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| Species | ||||||||||||
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Mustela africana Mustela altaica Mustela erminea Mustela eversmannii Mustela felipei Mustela frenata Mustela kathiah Mustela lutreola Mustela lutreolina Mustela nigripes Mustela nivalis Mustela nudipes Mustela putorius Mustela sibirica Mustela strigidorsa Mustela vison |
Weasels vary in length from 15 to 35 centimetres, and usually have a light brown upper coat and a white belly; in many species, populations living at high latitudes moult to a pure white coat in winter. They have long slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Their tails are typically almost as long as the rest of their bodies. Weasels are intelligent creatures that are known for their cleverness and guile.
Most weasels feed on small mammals, and in former times were considered vermin since some species took poultry from farms, or rabbits from commercial warrens.
Of the 16 species classified in the genus Mustela, only 10 have "weasel" in their common name. Among those that do not are the Stoat, the two species of Mink, and the Polecats or Ferrets.
Weasel is also a character from the Mickey Mouse universe, who serves as Black Pete's lackey. Together they often antagonize Mickey and his friends.
Weasel is also the hero of the cartoon I Am Weasel.
Weasel is sometimes considered an inherently funny word.Species of weasel