Least weasel vs Stoat
The stoat is heavier: 119.4 g against 103.9 g for the least weasel, about 15% more.

Photo: Keven Law · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Marton Berntsen , crop by User:MPF · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
What is the difference between a least weasel and a stoat?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- The stoat is heavier: 119.4 g against 103.9 g for the least weasel, about 15% more.
- The stoat is longer-lived: 11.1 years against 9.55 years for the least weasel, about 17% longer.
- Both belong to the genus Mustela, so they are close relatives.
- Both are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Side by side
| Least weasel | Stoat | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mustela nivalis | Mustela erminea |
| Family | Mustelidae | Mustelidae |
| Order | Carnivora | Carnivora |
| Weight | 49.8 g – 115 g | 110.3 g – 324 g |
| Length | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | 9.55 years | 5 years – 11.1 years |
| Main food | Not recorded | arvicola amphibius, european hamster, ochotona, poponejo |
| Habitat | forest | forest, shrubland |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Countries recorded | Not recorded | 1 |
A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.
Full record: Least weaselFull record: StoatCompare other animals