Ermine – one of the most widespread representatives of family marten which area of dwelling covers Eastern Siberia, the countries of Central Asia and also North America and the islands of New Zealand.
Despite the small sizes (length of an animal is only 20-30 cm, weight – 150-250 g), the ermine is a skillful and dexterous predator, the real thunderstorm of a great number of forest rodents and birds.
Ermine habits
Ermine – the single animal, as well as many predators marking the territory belonging to him with the secret allocated from anal glands. It is interesting that hunting grounds of this small, fearless predator can occupy the space from 10 to 20 hectares.
The male of an ermine comes for contact with a female only in certain time – during a marriage season, in other season the representatives of different floors prefer to keep at from each other. However, in lean year the male of an ermine can offer the principles and to begin a travel in search of food in the territory belonging to a female. The small animal at night day is especially active though he often leaves to hunt or just to wander across the territory and in the afternoon. Unlike most of other representatives marten (sables, martens, caress), the ermine does not care for convenience of the dwelling and often settles in the destroyed houses, hollows of trees and holes of the rodents killed with it. In winter time the small animal has no constant haven at all, preferring to travel a la the free robber. In a pursuit of production the ermine can overcome 5-10 kilometers forest a thicket, swamps and windbreaks. In the cold winter the animal is in constant search of food too and very effectively hunts, thanks to the quickness and extreme endurance. Bigger time of the life the ermine does not make a uniform sound, however if to anger him properly, the real stream of chirping, hissing and chirring begins.
Born hunter
The ermine is a night predator, so brave that sometimes the animals and birds considerably surpassing it in the sizes can become its victims. So, besides the traditional victims (a vole, a chipmunk, a hamster, a lemming), in a diet of a predator also meat of a hare, wood-grouse, hazel grouse and black grouse can appear. Thanks to the tenacious and strong paws, the ermine can immediately move on branches of trees, however for some unknown reason, the small animal on the earth hunts generally. In the winter the ermine often goes under a snow layer, trying to discover the tarried rodent. Quite often the ermine meets also near human dwellings. In lean years this small animal turns into the real villain who is impudently stealing food from people directly from under a nose. It is curious that this representative of family marten is practically not afraid of the person and, being caught in the act, can quite attack.