Ermine
After mating the females produce only one litter each year of four to nine young after a gestation period of 280 days. The young are born in April or May. The sex of the young animals at birth is uneven.
The new born Ermine are blind and helpless and the young Ermine have fine white hair at birth. At about three weeks old, noticeable dark hair of dense fur forms around their neck. About five weeks later at eight weeks of age the young can hunt with their mother.
In the wild the female Ermine may survive for two breeding seasons and the life span for the male Ermine in the wild is usually less.
The Ermine's flexible, nimble body allows it to move rapidly both on top of the ground and through underground burrows. Females seek their prey in tunnels more than males. They can also run smoothly across snow. This consummate hunter seeks it game while moving in a zigzag pattern, continually leaping from side to side with each jump up to two feet long.
While on the move the hunting Ermine will stop to investigate every hole and crevice. When they stop they will raise their head and stand on their hind feet and survey their surroundings. While hunting the Ermine may travel up to ten miles in one night. Once the Ermine sees or smells its next victim it will advance as near to its prey as possible. With unbelievable speed it grips the back of the victim's neck with sharp teeth and wraps its body and feet around the victim. According to the availability of food will determine the Ermine's population.
The male Ermine marks its territory with scent. Females prefer to stay in their birth area almost all their lives and only have contact with the male Ermine during the breeding season.
Ermines have a sharp sense of sight and smell that assists them in finding food. Ermine are a flesh eating animal that seek their prey mainly at night. They prefer targeting small, warm blooded animals like rabbits and smaller animals. When small animals for food are scarce the Ermine will eat birds, eggs, frogs, fish, and insects. In harsh weather they will survive entirely on small rodents and lemmings. Ermine hoard left over meals during poor hunting times.
The negative economic importance for humans is that some farmers claim that Ermine kill their poultry. The positive
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