Long-tailed Weasel - Yellowstone - National Park Service

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    • Long-tailed Weasel
    A weasel leaps across a road
    Long-tailed weasels are mammals in Yellowstone National Park.

    Courtesy Mike Warner

     
    Black track of a long-tailed weasel
    Long-tailed weasel track

    Scientific Name

    Mustela frenata

    Identification

    • Typical weasel shape: a very long body, short legs, pointed face, long tail.
    • 13–18 inches long, 4.8–11 ounces.
    • Fur is light brown above and buff to rusty orange below in summer; all white in winter, except for tail, which is black-tipped all year.
    • Males 40% larger than females.
    • Compare to marten and short-tailed weasel.

    Habitat

    • Found in forests, open grassy meadows and marshes, and near water.
    • Eat voles, pocket gophers, mice, ground and tree squirrels, rabbits; to a lesser degree birds, eggs, snakes, frogs, and insects.

    Behavior

    • Breed in early July and August; one litter of 6–9 young per year.
    • Solitary animals except during breeding and rearing of young.
        A wolf standing on a snowy bank near brown grass howls Mammals

    Home to the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states.

    Last updated: April 18, 2025

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    PO Box 168 Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168

    Phone:

    307-344-7381

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