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The ermine, stoat, or short-tailed weasel (Scientific name: Mustela erminea) is a small carnivorous mammal of the weasel family. The ermine is an animal native to Europe, Eurasia, and North America. It is a predator that eats various small animals indiscriminately as food. It is an animal that is hunted for its skin and fur to make a fur coat. The color of the ermine's fur will change to pure white in winter. The color of the fur is usually brown on the back. The belly is paler. The tail is bushy and pointed at the tip. It is black. It can be divided into 37 subspecies. [2] Males are much larger than females. Behavior in nature Females mate between September and November. The gestation period is 8-11 months. Give birth only once a year, about 6-13 babies at a time. They live scattered. They can be found from sandy beaches to high countryside. They can be found at all heights above sea level. Ermines prefer their native forests, scrub, sand dunes and brush. They are very agile animals and, as omnivorous feeders, can cause great damage to birds and other animals, preying on birds and their eggs. They are also considered a pest.