@nationalparkservice
Instagram · Carousel
@nationalparkservice Did you know if you hold an ermine up to your ear, you can hear what it’s like to be attacked by an ermine? For the record, don’t pick up an ermine…or any wild animal. But it is “stoatally” cute! Although diminutive, Ermine is fierce and can be aggressive. The ermine, also known as a stoat or short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea), is native to the northern portions of North America. Fun fact! Ermine have the ability to change the color of their fur to match different seasonal environments. Switching from brown to white in winter, then back again to brown in spring, this animal survives by blending into both landscapes…and by not being picked up. Who knew? You know now. Image: Keep your distance. An upright ermine, with brown coat, stands among a lush landscape at Katmai National Park & Preserve.
