CreatureData

Steppe polecat vs Stoat

The steppe polecat is heavier: 1.68 kg against 119.4 g for the stoat, about 14 times the weight.

Steppe polecat (Mustela eversmanii)
Steppe polecat LCLeast Concern
Photo: Andrey Giljov · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 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 steppe polecat and a stoat?

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

  • The steppe polecat is heavier: 1.68 kg against 119.4 g for the stoat, about 14 times the weight.
  • The stoat is longer-lived: 11.1 years against 11.1 years for the steppe polecat, about 0% 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

Steppe polecatStoat
Scientific nameMustela eversmaniiMustela erminea
FamilyMustelidaeMustelidae
OrderCarnivoraCarnivora
Weight945 g – 1.68 kg110.3 g – 324 g
LengthNot recordedNot recorded
Lifespan11.1 years5 years – 11.1 years
Main foodNot recordedarvicola amphibius, european hamster, ochotona, poponejo
Habitatgrassland, shrublandforest, shrubland
Conservation statusLeast ConcernLeast Concern
Countries recordedNot recorded1

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

Full record: Steppe polecatFull record: StoatCompare other animals