Irish Stoat
Mustela erminea hibernica
Easóg
What is a mustelid?
Mustelids are carnivores with long thin bodies, all belonging to the same family. Most of Irelands carnivores are mustelids, including the stoat, pine marten, otter, mink, and badger.
What is a weasel, and what is a ferret?
A weasel is a similar, but even smaller species. There are weasels in Britain, but not here in Ireland. A ferret is a domesticated breed of a polecat. Ferrets are quite large, and used to hunt rabbits and rats. (A polecat is another large weasel-like species that does not occur in Ireland.)
Stoats are true Irish natives
The stoat has been present in Ireland since before the Ice Age, and possibly survived here through the Ice Age too. In fact, we have our very own sub-species, with a whiter belly, that is only found in Ireland and the Isle of Man.
How big is a stoat?
Stoats are Ireland’s smallest carnivore. Males are bigger than females. They average about 1 ft (30 cm) in length, nose to tip of tail.
Where do stoats live?
Stoats are widespread throughout Ireland. They are found in most habitats, but particularly like open woodlands and rocky areas. They are fond of dry stone walls.
Do stoats live in groups?
No, stoats are solitary. Male stoats will not tolerate other males, and females will not tolerate other females. However, their territory may overlap with the territory of an opposite sex stoat.
How big is a territory?
A stoat’s territory may be anything between 20 and 100 hectares. Territory size depends on the quality of the habitat and the availability of prey within it.
Where do stoats sleep?
Within its territory, a stoat will have a series of dens where it can rest. A den may be in an old rabbit burrow, a stone wall, a hollow tree, or even an old building. Stoats will wander through their range over a period of days, hunting as they go, and sleeping in the nearest den.
What do stoats eat?
Stoats are fierce carnivores that will hunt creatures five times their own weight. They need to eat a fifth of their weight each day, so are not fussy about what they kill. They will eat rabbits, rats, mice, birds, eggs, and even bugs, depending on what they can find.
How do stoats hunt?
Stoats have good eye-sight and hearing, and will actively stalk and chase prey. They can mesmerise other creatures with outlandish behaviour in an effort to get close. Stoats will hunt on the ground, down burrows, and in trees.
When are baby stoats born?
Stoats breed once a year, mating in May to July. Although the actual pregnancy is only 30 days, implantation of the foetuses is delayed so that the kits are not born until the following April or May. The litter may contain 3 to 10 kits. They are born blind and deaf, nearly hairless, and very tiny (only 3 – 4 g). However, they grow quickly, and by 5 weeks of age they can eat solid food. By 12 weeks they are weaned and can hunt well.
When do young stoats breed?
Young female kits become sexually mature at 3 weeks, and may mate before they are even weaned! However, the foetuses will not develop until the following spring.
Do Irish stoats turn white in winter?
No. Throughout most of its range, the stoat develops a white coat in winter and is known as ermine. However, Irish stoats retain their brown colour, presumably because our winter is not very severe.
Are stoats protected?
Yes. Stoats are totally protected in Ireland. If stoats are proving a problem, by killing pheasant chicks or some-such, you must solve the problem by using good fencing; it is illegal to kill a stoat.