Abstract:
There are three species of weasels in North America--the least, long-tailed, and short-tailed. Only the least and long-tail are found in North Carolina. Long-tails are found statewide, but least weasels confine their activities to the mountain counties. Primarily nocturnal, weasels are rarely seen. In northern climes the weasel's coat changes from brown and white in summer to all white in winter. In North Carolina the creature keeps the brown and white color year-round. The adult least weasel is the world's smallest carnivorous mammal.