The Ermine lives in the north temperate and frigid sectors of Europe, Asia and North America. In North America the Ermine lives in the northern areas reaching from coast to coast. Also, its habitat includes areas southward into the northern states of the USA.
Ermines prefer to live in areas along streams and creeks next to a woodland. Also, you will find the Ermine in marshes, shrubs, and open fields next to forests and edges of large shrubbery along a fence row. Animal lovers of the North also see the Ermine living mainly in the tundra that has vegetation next to rocky cover. Although the Ermine lives mainly on the ground, they do climb trees and water doesn't deter them as they are good swimmers.
The ermine builds its nest or lair in tree roots, hollow logs, large long holes in stone walls, and below ground abandoned rodent burrows. Their burrows also have side recesses they use for storing food and another as a latrine. They line their nests with dry vegetation, fur and feathers from prey.
As an adult, the length of the Ermine's body is seven to thirteen inches long. Males are generally twice as large as females. The length of the Ermine's tail is about two to four inches long. Similar in shape of a weasel the Ermine has a lengthy body, little legs and its neck supports a triangular shaped head. They have rounded ears and they show glistening ebony colored eyes, and whiskers.
In the snow covered months the Ermine's fur turns white and the tip of their tail is black. In the warm summertime, the back of the Ermine's fur is colored chestnut while the neck fur extending to the upper lip is ivory.
The male Ermine in late spring or early summer become amorous and begin looking for partners to mate with. The male Ermine, indiscriminate in sexual relations, has more than one mate. He is a member of a very promiscuous species. Males reach breeding age during the second summer of their life. The female Ermine can mate at nine to ten weeks old and do not reach adult size until at least six weeks of age. The success of a good mating and the female becoming pregnant depends on a convenient and good food source.
