{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "weasel",
  "name": "Weasel",
  "scientificName": "Mustela nivalis",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The weasel (Mustela nivalis) is the smallest carnivore in Britain and one of the smallest worldwide, with a body length of just 16–23 cm. Its slender, flexible body is built for pursuing mice and voles directly into their burrows. To tell it from the similar stoat: the weasel is smaller and its short tail is plain brown all the way to the tip, while the stoat is bigger with a distinctive black-tipped tail.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Carnivora",
    "family": "Mustelidae",
    "genus": "Mustela"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.1,
    "lengthM": 0.2,
    "topSpeedKmh": 25,
    "lifespanYears": 3
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Mustela nivalis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (mainly mice and voles)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Farmland, hedgerows, grassland, woodland"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "1–3 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "16–23 cm (6–9 in); Britain's smallest carnivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "30–150 g (about 1–5 oz)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Found across the Northern Hemisphere, from Britain and Ireland through Europe and Asia to North America; prefers farmland, hedgerows, and woodland with good rodent populations.",
    "continents": [
      "Europe",
      "Asia",
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Mustela nivalis.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Mustela%20nivalis&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Mustela nivalis. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mustela_nivalis/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Weasel.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_weasel"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/weasel/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/weasel/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}