A weasel looking out of yellow leaves in autumn

© Paul Hobson/NPL/Minden

A weasel looking out of yellow leaves in autumn

The slim and elongated weasel (Mustela nivalis) is Britain's smallest native carnivore. It can be found in a range of habitats where there's good cover, like this heap of fallen leaves, and plenty of prey. That's because weasels must eat every 24 hours to avoid starvation, so they are active hunters through the day and night, feeding on rodents such as voles and mice, as well as small birds. In Britain, weasels don't change colour, but further north its coat becomes pure white in winter.