Stoat: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Otters and Weasels · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. In the far north, the brown summer stoat turns pure white for winter. Only the tip of its tail stays black.
2. Stoats are said to put on a bouncy "war dance" that seems to hypnotise prey such as rabbits.
3. A stoat does not dig its own home. It moves into the burrows of rodents it has caught, and has even been found living in magpie nests.
4. Two stoats named Tina and Milo were the mascots of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Milan and Cortina.
5. Babies are born blind, deaf and without teeth. Their eyes open at five to six weeks, and the black tail tip shows a week later.

The quiz

1. Which part of a northern stoat stays black in winter?

• The tip of its tail (correct)
• Its paws
• Its ears
• A stripe on its back

Its winter coat is all white except for the black tail tip.

2. What is the stoat's "war dance" said to do?

• Warm it up after a swim
• Call its babies home
• Hypnotise prey such as rabbits (correct)
• Help it dig a new burrow

The dance reputedly mesmerises prey like rabbits.

3. Where does a stoat usually make its den?

• In a deep burrow it digs itself
• In a floating nest on a lake
• Inside a beehive
• In burrows of rodents it has caught (correct)

It never digs its own burrows and takes over those of rodents.

4. Who were Tina and Milo?

• Two stoats in a famous zoo
• Stoat mascots of the 2026 Winter Olympics (correct)
• Scientists who studied stoats
• Stoats from an old fairy tale

The 2026 Milan Cortina Games mascots were based on the stoat.

5. What are newborn stoats like?

• Blind, deaf and toothless (correct)
• Already pure white with open eyes
• Able to hunt mice at once
• Covered in thick brown fur

Kits start life unable to see, hear or bite, wrapped in soft down.

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