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BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Mustela frenata
Long-tailed Weasel


 
Scientific Name: Mustela frenata Lichtenstein, 1831
English Name: Long-tailed Weasel
 
Classification / Taxonomy
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Classification Level: Species
Taxonomy Comments: Moved from Mustela to Neogale following Patterson et al. (2021).
Species Group: Vertebrate Animal
Species Code: M-MUFR
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Craniata Mammalia Carnivora Mustelidae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: G5 (Apr 2016)
Provincial Status: S5 (Feb 2015)
BC List: Yellow
Provincial FRPA list:   
Provincial Wildlife Act:
COSEWIC Status:
SARA Schedule:
General Status Canada: 4 - Secure (2005)
   
Ecology & Life History
General Description:
Global Reproduction Comments: Breeds July-August. Gestation lasts 205-337 days (average 279); implantation delayed. Litter size is 1-12 (average 4-7). In north, one litter is born in April-May; nests with young have been found in November in southeastern U.S. Weaning begins at about 5 weeks. Young begin to disperse at about 11-12 weeks (see Johnson et al. 1993). Females are sexually mature in 3-4 months (in captivity) or usually 2 years in southern Canada (see Johnson et al. 1993), males in about 1 year.
Global Ecology Comments: Basically solitary, though more social where prey is abundant and habitat optimal. Population density averages 1 per 7-40 acres (Jackson 1961), depending upon habitat and environmental conditions (Baker 1983).
Migration Characteristics:
(Global / Provincial)
 
    Nonmigrant:
    Local Migrant:
    Distant Migrant:
    Within Borders Migrant:
Y /
N /
N /
na /
Global Migration Comments: Male home range is 10-160 ha, varying with location and prey availability; female range averages smaller than male range (Jackson 1961, Caire et al. 1989, Johnson et al. 1993). In Indiana, based on radio-tagged individuals, mean home range size (95% adaptive kernel contour area) was 51.8 ha for adult females and 180.3 ha for adult males (Gehring and Swihart 2004).
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence)
Agriculture / Cultivated Field / Facultative - occasional use
Agriculture / Hedgerow / Facultative - occasional use
Agriculture / Pasture/Old Field / Facultative - occasional use
Alpine/Tundra / Alpine Grassland / Unknown
Alpine/Tundra / Alpine/Subalpine Meadow / Unknown
Alpine/Tundra / Krummholtz / Facultative - occasional use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Dry / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Mesic (average) / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Moist/wet / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Grassland / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Meadow / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Sagebrush Steppe / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Shrub - Natural / Facultative - frequent use
Riparian / Gravel Bar / Facultative - frequent use
Riparian / Riparian Forest / Facultative - frequent use
Riparian / Riparian Herbaceous / Facultative - frequent use
Riparian / Riparian Shrub / Facultative - frequent use
Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Talus / Facultative - occasional use
Subterranean / Sub-soil / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Bog / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Fen / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Marsh / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Swamp / Facultative - occasional use
Global Habitat Comments: Found in a wide variety of habitats, usually near water. Favored habitats include brushland and open woodlands, field edges, riparian grasslands, swamps, and marshes (Sheffield, in Wilson and Ruff 1999). Dens are in abandoned burrow made by other mammal, rock crevice, brushpile, stump hollow, or space among tree roots; one individual may use multiple dens. Tolerant of close proximity to humans.
Food Habits: Carnivore: Adult, Immature
Global Food Habits Comments: Feeds primarily on small mammals, occasionally birds, other small vertebrates, and insects.
Global Phenology: Crepuscular: Adult, Immature
Nocturnal: Adult, Immature
Global Phenology Comments: Primarily nocturnal, but frequently can be seen during daytime.
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)
Colonial Breeder: N
Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): 55/ / 267
Elevation (m) (min / max): Global: 
Provincial: 
   
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: Southern Canada, most all of the contiguous U.S., and south to Venezuela and Bolivia, excluding the southwestern deserts of the U.S. (Wozencraft, in Wilson and Reeder 1993; Sheffield and Thomas 1997).
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author: Hammerson, G.
Last Updated: Mar 08, 2005
Provincial Information Author:
Last Updated:
   
References and Related Literature
Baker, R. H. 1983. Michigan mammals. Michigan State University Press. 642 pp.
Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp.
Caire, W., J. D. Tyler, B. P. Glass, and M. A. Mares. 1989. Mammals of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Oklahoma. 567 pp.
Godin, A. J. 1977. Wild mammals of New England. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 304 pp.
Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp.
Hall, E. Raymond. 1951. American weasels. Univ. Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History. 466 pp.
Hamilton, W. J., Jr., and J. O. Whitaker, Jr. 1979. Mammals of the eastern United States. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, New York. 346 pp.
Hamilton, W.J., Jr. 1933. The weasels of New York. Their natural history and economic status. American Midl. Nat., 14(4):289-344
Jackson, H. H. 1961. Mammals of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 504 pp.
Johnson, C., W. Runge, and R. McFetridge. 1993. Status report on the prairie long-tailed weasel MUSTELA FRENATA LONGICAUDA in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 22 pp. + 3 figs.
Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
King, C. 1989. The natural history of weasels and stoats. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca. xviii + 253 pp.
Layne, J. N., editor. 1978. Rare and endangered biota of Florida. Vol. 1. Mammals. State of Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. xx + 52 pp.
Schwartz, C. W., and E. R. Schwartz. 1981. The wild mammals of Missouri. University of Missouri Press, Columbia. 356 pp.
Sheffield, S. R., and H. H. Thomas. 1997. MUSTELA FRENATA. Mammalian Species (570):1-9.
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Wilson, D. E., and S. Ruff. 1999. The Smithsonian book of North American mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 750 pp.
 

Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.

Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2005. Species Summary: Mustela frenata. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Mar 28, 2024).