Mountain weasel
Mountain Weasel | |
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In Hemis National Park, India | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Mustelidae |
Genus: | Mustela |
Species: | M. altaica
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Binomial name | |
Mustela altaica Pallas, 1811
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Mountain weasel range |
The mountain weasel (Mustela altaica), also known as the pale weasel, Altai weasel or solongoi, primarily lives in high-altitude environments, as well as rocky
Description
Sexual dimorphism is slight in the Altai weasel.[3] The male body length from head to base of the tail is about 8.5–11 in (220–280 mm), with the tail adding about 4–6 in (100–150 mm). Males can weigh 8–12 oz (230–340 g).[3] Females are slightly smaller, with their head and body lengths measuring around 8.5–10 in (220–250 mm), with their tails adding 3.5–5 in (89–127 mm), and they weigh about 4–8 oz (110–230 g). This species undergoes seasonal
Fossil record
The mountain weasel is known from
Reproduction
Overall, these animals are thought to be solitary animals except when mating.[3] The mating system for these animals is unknown, but other species in the same genus are polygynous. Polygynous groups usually consist of one male and multiple females. The mountain weasel breeds once a year. Males fight vigorously for access to females. Mating usually occurs in February or March, and the young are usually born in May. The gestation period is 30–49 days, but these periods of gestation and birth can be altered because the animal is capable of delayed implantation; the female can breed and the egg is fertilized, but the egg does not attach to the endometrium in the uterus to continue pregnancy until resources are available to maintain the pregnancy and feed the young. The litter size is one to eight young. The offspring are born altricial, require nourishment and depend on the mother, their eyes are closed, and their fur is not well developed. Lactation lasts about two months, and after weaning, the young become independent but remain with their littermates until fall. Young are able to breed in the following season when they are just under a year of age.[3]
Behavior
The mountain weasel is capable of climbing, running, and swimming.[3] Their long bodies and short legs allow them to be very agile. Altai weasels are generally nocturnal, but may hunt during daylight. Although solitary, they communicate with each other visually and vocally. This animal has extremely good vision. They also communicate by sound to warn of possible predators, to protect their territories, and when mating. When threatened, they emit a loud chirring sound and excrete a foul, pungent odor from their anal glands.[5]
Food habits
The mountain weasels are strict carnivores; some other animals in the suborder Canifornia are omnivores. They primarily feed on
Predation
Although no predators for this species have been reported, their main predators likely are large birds.[2]
Threats
Some threats causing the weasel to be considered near-threatened include habitat change, mainly caused by human development,[6] and other dangers, such as traffic on roads, which can reduce their population. Overgrazing by cattle, goats, and sheep causes the prey of the weasel to diminish because their hiding spots and food are reduced.
Conservation
The mountain weasel is listed in appendix III of the
To initiate a plan to set a nature reserve, construction, staffing, access development, and research and monitoring of the species it intends to protect and preserve are required.[6] Sometimes, it is difficult to achieve all of these requirements. For example, nature preserves were proposed in China in the Yeniugou and Xiugou valleys. Unfortunately, the plans were denied by the authorities because they viewed it as an attempt to direct the government funds to Golmud, China where these valleys are located.[6]
However, a successful nature reserve includes the Altai weasel in Kazakhstan. The West Altai State Nature Reserve was created to preserve and protect the ecosystem of the mountains and Altai forests it surrounds. It is the biggest nature reserve in Kazakhstan, and includes about 52 species of mammals, including the Altai weasel and also the food of the weasel, the pika.[8]
Although no specific conservation strategy or program is dedicated to the Altai weasel, many other programs include it or it gains advantage. For example, the Kazakhstan nature reserve protects many different species. Also, programs that protect pikas and other small mammals also help protect the weasel;
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ .
- ^ ISBN 9780199894239.
- . Retrieved 13 January 2024 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
- LCCN 78604127.
- ^ S2CID 37104966.
- ^ The Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. 1993.[dead link]
- ^ "West Altai State Nature Reserve". Archived from the original on 3 February 2009.
- PMID 18179633.
External links
- Media related to Mustela altaica at Wikimedia Commons
- Data related to Mustela altaica at Wikispecies