The Stoat is a small predator; their long, low-slung body makes them particularly well adapted for hunting rats and rabbits. They easily kill adult rabbits that are much larger than them with a bite to the base of the skull. Stoats are active by day and at night and are easiest to spot in open habitats, such as sand dunes, grassland and heathland. Stoats mate in summer but delay implantation of the fertilised egg until the spring of the following year. They have one litter of six to twelve kits a year.
Stoats are not considered to be rare in the UK, but the habitats that they favour are declining - our grasslands, heathlands and woodlands are all under threat. Encouraging farmers, landowners and gardeners alike to have a wildlife-friendly approach, The Wildlife Trusts are working towards a Living Landscape: a network of habitats and wildlife corridors across town and country, which are good for both wildlife and people. You can support this greener future by joining your local Wildlife Trust.
