Field signs
Field signs are very rarely found. Stoat droppings are 40-80 mm long, thin and twisted, containing fur and feathers. They may occasionally be found in prominent spots or near their dens, which are usually made in the burrows of their prey, in hollow trunks or in stone walls. They have five toes on their forefeet and hind feet and their tracks may make a weaving line along a hedgerow or fence line in soft mud or snow.
Habits
Stoats are active day and night, with bouts of activity lasting 40 minutes and occasionally up to three to four hours, and rest periods lasting one to four hours. In winter they become more nocturnal. Their main prey is small and medium-sized mammals, with rabbits being a staple part of the diet, particularly for males, which take a higher proportion of rabbits than females. They may also take game birds, other birds and their eggs. Prey is killed by a bite to the back of the neck. When prey is abundant they may kill more than they need and cache in a safe place. This is a strategy for an animal with high metabolic needs and unpredictable resources.
Male territories are larger than females and will encompass several female territories. However, territory size will vary between seasons depending on the relative importance of food and mates, expanding in the spring to include more female territories.
Stoats are very adaptable and can be found in a wide range of habitats as long as they have sufficient cover, including moors, marshes, woodland and farmland. Stoats are seen at higher altitudes than weasels, but are rarely seen in urban areas. They are able swimmers and have colonized many offshore islands.
Two stoats were observed on Cliffe Marshes hunting a moorhen and seemingly working together to corner and kill the bird. One stoat remained in the water and appeared to drive the bird to the other waiting stoat which performed the kill.
Reproduction and life cycle
Mating occurs between April and July, with implantation delayed until the following spring (embryonic diapause). A single large litter of up to 12 babies (kits) is produced once a year, enabling stoats to take advantage of temporary abundant resources. However, it can also be a limitation, so they have evolved an extraordinary strategy. Shortly after an adult female has given birth, she comes into oestrus again. A male attracted to the den, if granted access, will mate with her. He will then also mate with each of her daughters, who despite being blind and hairless are sexually mature. Each young female stoat is then pregnant before she leaves the nest, enabling them to readily colonize new habitats.
Distribution, status and conservation
Stoats are present throughout Britain, occurring in every mainland county, and are well-established on many islands including the Isle of Sheppey.
Stoats are not protected under UK conservation legislation, but are included in Appendix III of the Bern Convention. They are heavily persecuted by game keepers because of predation on game birds and they can still be killed legally by shooting or the use of certain traps.
