Tiny Baby Stoat Has The Best Reaction When She Meets Someone Like Her

The stoat or short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea), also known as the ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

The name ermine /ˈɜːrmɪn/ is really used for species in the genus Mustela (especially the stoat) in its pure white winter coat, or the fur thereof.

Introduced in the late 19th century into New Zealand to control rabbits, the stoat has had a devastating effect on native bird populations. It was nominated as one of the world's top 100 "worst invaders".

Ermine luxury fur was used in the 15th century by Catholic monarchs, who sometimes used it as the mozzetta cape. It was also used in capes on certain images such as the Infant Jesus of Prague.

The root word for "stoat" is likely either the Dutch word stout ("bold") or the Gothic word 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (stautan, "to push"). The word "ermine" is likely derived from Armenia, the nation where it was thought the species originated. A male stoat is called a dog, hob, or jack, while a female is called a jill. The collective noun for stoats is either gang or pack.

The stoat's ancestors were larger than the current form, and underwent a certain reduction in size as they exploited the new food source. The stoat and the long-tailed weasel remained separated until 500,000 years ago, when amazing falling sea levels exposed the Bering land bridge.