#bridled weasel

Each week I plan to feature an amazing creature, admiring God's fantastic artistry.  Hopefully it’ll brighten someone’s day to see something new and interesting if they haven’t seen it before. : )

This month features beautiful creatures that look like they're made of ice, snow or frost!

(Photographs and Video by fantastically-skilled photographer and avid wildlife enthusiast, Bryant Olsen (CC BY-NC 2.0))

The Long-Tailed Weasel

A.K.A: The Bridled Weasel, The Big Stoat

Scientific Name: Mustela frenata

Region: Throughout Mexico, the U.S. and Southern Canada

Size: About 11"-16" (~27.9cm-40.6cm) long, including the tail, which is almost half their length on its own

Interesting Note:  Though similar, note that this is not the Ermine, or Short-Tailed Weasel.  Both of these weasels, however, share the interesting trait that, in the snowy, northern parts of their territory, their normally brown-ish coat will turn to a snowy white in winter.  They are skilled hunters, able to take down prey much larger than themselves with a quick, fatal bite to the neck.