CreatureData

Mountain weasel vs Stoat

The mountain weasel is heavier: 171 g against 119.4 g for the stoat, about 43% more.

Mountain weasel (Mustela altaica)
Mountain weasel NTNear Threatened
Photo: Karunakar Rayker · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Stoat (Mustela erminea)
Stoat LCLeast Concern
Photo: Marton Berntsen , crop by User:MPF · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What is the difference between a mountain weasel and a stoat?

Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.

  • The mountain weasel is heavier: 171 g against 119.4 g for the stoat, about 43% more.
  • Both belong to the genus Mustela, so they are close relatives.
  • The mountain weasel is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List; the stoat is Least Concern.

Side by side

Mountain weaselStoat
Scientific nameMustela altaicaMustela erminea
FamilyMustelidaeMustelidae
OrderCarnivoraCarnivora
Weight171 g – 175.6 g110.3 g – 324 g
LengthNot recordedNot recorded
LifespanNot recorded5 years – 11.1 years
Main foodNot recordedarvicola amphibius, european hamster, ochotona, poponejo
Habitatgrassland, shrublandforest, shrubland
Conservation statusNear ThreatenedLeast Concern
Countries recordedNot recorded1

A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.

Full record: Mountain weaselFull record: StoatCompare other animals