Yuri Gorbenko recounted: “During the New Year holidays, we decided to head into the mountains and enjoy nature. As we were climbing through the snowy forest, we suddenly noticed a small, quick creature darting out from the bushes — a weasel. It was attracted by the sounds we were making while moving through the winter forest and showed curiosity towards us.”
Ecologist Alexander Sosnovsky also commented on this predator:
“The weasel is widespread throughout Kyrgyzstan and seems perfectly adapted for hunting rodents. In summer, its coloration is ochre-brown on top and white underneath, while in winter it turns completely white, with a black tip on its tail. This predator is the smallest among the mustelids and among carnivorous mammals in the country. The least weasel weighs about 100 grams, while the stoat can reach 200 grams. Despite its modest size, it is a true enemy of all mouse-like rodents. Mice can hide underground from other predators, but not from the weasel — it pursues them even into their burrows. This creature does not relent day or night, continuing to hunt even after it is satiated. Sometimes its caches are found: under large stones, one can discover up to ten carcasses of voles, from which only the brains have been eaten. The weasel follows its prey into forest thickets and high altitudes, and in winter it hunts them beneath the snow. By spring, the population of mice and voles significantly decreases due to the presence of this predator. Interestingly, weasel fur coats were once considered a symbol of royal grandeur, and hundreds of light and durable pelts from these animals were used to create them.”
