Weasel - Mustela nivalis

Britain's smallest native carnivore, the weasel has a long slender body, and a short tail. The fur is ginger to a rich chocolate-russet brown in colour, and the underparts are creamy-white. The narrow head is supported on a long neck, and the legs are short. The large eyes are black, and the ears are rounded. It is usually a solitary, highly active predator with a short lifespan.

It has a running gait compared to a Stoat which bounds.

Stoat (which is larger, has a black tipped tail and white bib with straight edges)

Adult Droppings

Ginger/russet coloured fur, white bib with jagged edge and several spots around neck area.  short, stubby tail - NO black tip

A clear photograph of the individual showing ID features.  If not possible, full description in the comments of where seen and what it looked lik.

Found in a range of habitats where there is good cover and plentiful prey, including woodland, grassland, sand dunes, mountains, urban areas, marshes and moors.  They will thrive in areas of dense cover and abundant prey and will take over the old burrows or nests of prey.  Have been found using bird and dormouse boxes  They feed mainly on small rodents, rabbits, birds and eggs

All year round - they do not hibernate.  They will hunt during the day or at night. Generally they are solitary animals and difficult to spot, but after the breeding season, females seen with their young who will actively play together in open areas

Weasels are active at any time of day or night, and intersperse periods of activity with a rest period. They often take over the nests of their prey, lining their dens with fur from prey during cold weather. A number of dens will be used within the home range. Males and females occupy separate territories, and defend these against members of the opposite sex. They breed in spring and a single litter of between 4 and 6 naked, blind and deaf kits is produced  (pregnancy around 36 days) each year.  The kits are weaned after 3 to 4 weeks and begin to hunt well by 8 weeks of age, often accompanying their mother to hunt in 'gangs'. By 9 to 12 weeks after birth the family group starts to split up.

They have a short life expectancy with 75% dying in their first year and only 10% surviving to 2 years old in the wild.

Widespread throughout mainland Britain, and on large islands around the UK, but absent from Ireland.

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland but under-recorded in parts of the counties