Weasels are the most common and the least known of the world's carnivores. In predatory power they rival any of the big cats; indeed, gram for gram they are much stronger than any lion. But they are small and hard to see in the wild, and they can live their secret lives alongside people who never guess that they are there. In their native environments the weasels (Mustela nivalis, M. erminea, and M. frenata) are small but important members of a community of predators. They balance a fine line between the hunters and the hunted: they can follow their prey under snow and into their last refuges, ... More

Weasels are the most common and the least known of the world's carnivores. In predatory power they rival any of the big cats; indeed, gram for gram they are much stronger than any lion. But they are small and hard to see in the wild, and they can live their secret lives alongside people who never guess that they are there. In their native environments the weasels (Mustela nivalis, M. erminea, and M. frenata) are small but important members of a community of predators. They balance a fine line between the hunters and the hunted: they can follow their prey under snow and into their last refuges, but are also vulnerable to attack by larger predators, especially foxes and raptors. In New Zealand they are out of place, a tragic example of a human attempt to manipulate nature which has backfired both on the weasels and on the native fauna. This book tells the stories of these animals in both words and artwork, using a mixture of descriptions, analysis and anecdote. It describes how the weasels fit into their own environments, yet also cause serious conservation damage in New Zealand.