Stoats

Stoat

Stoats are a pest in New Zealand because they threaten wildlife by eating eggs and killing the young of animals. These animals are one of the reasons that animals are becoming extinct in New Zealand.

They can live up to 4 - 6 years which may seem short but really is a lot of time for them to be causing mischief, and destroying our wild life. Stoats are mustelids, there are over 55 types of  mustelids that include Weasels and Ferrets. Stoats can have up to 3 babies at a time which make even more trouble to go round the New Zealand native bush.

A stoat has a body length between 16-30 centimeters long and can weigh  up to 455 grams. Stoats hair is a mix between white and  brown , they are a shorthair animal with sharp and small teeth.

Stoats can live just about anywhere in New Zealand as long as they can find prey. They can live on beaches, farmland, dunes, tussock and in any kind of forest. They can even live above the treeline in remote high country.

Their main prey are rats, mice, birds, rabbits, hares, possums and insects (particularly weta). Stoats will also eat lizards, freshwater crayfish, roadkill, hedgehogs and fish. If they get the chance, they’ll kill more than they need for food and hide the rest in their den to eat later. They can kill animals much bigger than themselves.

Stoat are very bad animals that are destroying your native bush and so that is why we kill as many stoats as we can.