Mustela erminea
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The stoat (Mustela erminea), also known as the Eurasian ermine or ermine, is a species of mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern regions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The name ermine is used especially in its pure white winter coat of the stoat or its fur. Ermine fur was used in the 15th century by Catholic monarchs, who sometimes used it as the mozzetta cape. It has long been used on the ceremonial robes of members of the United Kingdom House of Lords. It was also used in capes on images such as the Infant Jesus of Prague.
The stoat was introduced into New Zealand in the late 19th century to control rabbits. However, they have had a devastating effect on native bird populations; as such, the species was nominated as one of the world's top 100 "worst invaders".
The root word for "stoat" is likely either the Dutch word stout ("bold") or the Gothic word 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (stautan, "to push"). According to John Guillim, in his Display of Heraldrie, the word "ermine" is likely derived from Armenia, the nation where it was thought the species originated, though other authors have linked it... Wikipedia →
Recording0:28
New Zealand · 2024
© jjaeg · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:07
United Kingdom · 2024
© Malcolm MacGarvin · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanoise National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 9 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 10 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 11 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 13 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flamingo Land Resort | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | British Wildlife Centre | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | AQUA Akvarium & Dyrepark | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 4 | Reykjavík Park and Zoo | 🇮🇸 Iceland |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Stoat sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 27th most-seen of the 27 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Stoat in Rocky Mountain National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and October–June, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Stoat sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
13th of 13
Of the 13 parks where we can rate Stoat sightings, Rocky Mountain National Park ranks 13th at under 5%. The best odds are in Vanoise National Park (France, about 30%), Aoraki Mount Cook National Park (New Zealand, about 20%) and Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 20%).
Same family: Mustelidae
The closest relatives of the Stoat that you can see in Rocky Mountain National Park (family Mustelidae, Mustelids) are Pacific Marten (about 10%) and Northern River Otter (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Stoat is recorded against all the mammals logged in Rocky Mountain National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
