The Ermine, or Short-tailed Weasel, turns from brown to snow-white in winter while retaining its distinctive black-tipped tail year-round. This seasonal color change provides camouflage in snowy environments and is triggered by changing day length rather than temperature. Despite its small size, the ermine is a fierce predator capable of killing prey several times its own mass.
Habitat
Forests, meadows, tundra, and riparian margins
Diet
Voles, mice, shrews, and small birds
How common
Uncommon
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