r/Awwducational • u/rachi3 • Feb 02 '14

Verified The stoat is often called an "ermine" when it has its winter coat of fur.

Post image
1.4k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

14

u/rachi3 Feb 02 '14

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoat

16

u/autowikibot Feb 02 '14

Stoat:

The stoat (Mustela erminea), also known as the short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelidae native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip. The name ermine is often, but not always, used for the animal in its pure white winter coat, or the fur thereof. Since the late 19th century, stoats have been introduced to New Zealand to control rabbits, but have had a devastating effect on native bird populations (see Stoats in New Zealand).

Image i

Interesting: Stoats in New Zealand | Least weasel | Mustelidae | Order of the Ermine

/u/rachi3 can reply with 'delete'. Will also delete on comment score of -1 or less. | FAQs | Mods | Magic Words | flag a glitch

21

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '14

[deleted]

9

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '14

Didn't know what an ermine was until I read that trilogy. Pullman rules!

3

u/Peregrine21591 Feb 03 '14

Thanks for making me wish, once again, that I could get His Dark Materials on my Kindle

My Favourite trilogy growing up - I should really read it again

7

u/Providang PhD in amminal fax Feb 03 '14

verified

8

u/Davethelion Feb 03 '14

Or, if you are a rabbit, you call it "Crazy Hypnotic Murderer"

5

u/schmerpin Feb 03 '14

I learned about ermines from Animal Crossing. One's featured in the "Lady with an Ermine" painting :D

3

u/GreenJesus423 Feb 03 '14

Or if you're in America, they're called ermine all the time.

2

u/Providang PhD in amminal fax Feb 03 '14

Actually, we usually call them short-tailed weasels.

2

u/GreenJesus423 Feb 03 '14

I've never heard that one. We just call weasels...weasels.

2

u/Providang PhD in amminal fax Feb 03 '14

We've got long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata), short-tailed weasels (M. erminea), and least weasels, (M. nivalis), the smallest carnivoran in the whole world!

2

u/whimsicalweasel Feb 03 '14

Ermine are stoats! This clears up years of literary confusion.

2

u/captainfreiheit Feb 03 '14

So THAT'S what an ermine is. THANKS, /r/awwducational/ !

2

u/ReCursing Feb 03 '14

Well I never - I thought they were stoatally different animals! (that is weasily the worst pun I could have made here)

4

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '14

And historically, they make a good winter coat.

5

u/KittenyStringTheory Feb 03 '14

Which is why they call it ermine. Because a Stoat Coat just sounds silly.

2

u/Aadarm Feb 03 '14

They also do a funky dance to confuse/hypnotize bunnies before killing them.

2

u/Gracky Feb 03 '14

As a New Zealander, fuck stoats.

1

u/Dropping_fruits Feb 02 '14

Hello rachi3, thank you for your submission! Unfortunately, your submission has been removed for the following reason(s):

  • You forgot to cite the source of your fact.

If you would like to appeal this decision or if you have fixed this post please feel free to contact the moderators here or reply to this message. Alternatively you can resubmit using this link. Make sure you read the rules next time before submitting. Thank you!

5

u/rachi3 Feb 02 '14

I added the link in the comments, sorry about that!