Name:Mustela altaica
Alias:Mustela altaica,Mountain Weasel,Rat
Outline:Carnivora
Family:mustelidae mustelae genus
length:22-29cm
Weight:80-350g
Life:8-10years
IUCN:LC
Mustela altaica (scientific name: Mustela altaica) is a small to medium-sized weasel with 4 subspecies.
Mustela altaica is mostly active alone, active during the day or at night, and is more active at dawn and dusk. It lives in caves. It likes to live in caves, but it is not good at digging holes. It often uses the caves of other animals such as mice as nests, or lives in rock crevices, piles of rocks or tree holes. There are often shelter caves and food storage caves near the cave where the offspring are born. They are alert, quick and agile, and good at running, swimming and climbing trees.
The foraging area of the weasel is relatively wide, mainly feeding on small rodents, such as pikas and yellow rats, and they also climb trees to catch small birds or dive to hunt small fish.
Weasels generally mate in March and April every year, with a gestation period of about 30-40 days, and give birth in May and June. The pups are born in the cave, with 6-8 pups per litter. The pups can live independently at two months old, reach sexual maturity at one year old, and have a lifespan of 8-10 years.
The population distribution is not scattered. This species is relatively common in its habitat, but not in large numbers, and its population is on a downward trend. The Muscicapidae is widely distributed in Tibet, China. For example, four individuals were observed three times in Linzhou and Renbu counties.
Muscicapidae is a natural enemy of many rodents in nature, and has a certain effect in eliminating the harm of rodents. It is a beneficial animal for agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry, and plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance.
Listed in the 2008 Red List of Endangered Species of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) ver 3.1 - Near Threatened (NT).
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