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In photos: Winter-ready short-tailed weasel pays Shuswap resident a visit

Photographer thrilled to have captured images of mostly nocturnal animal
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A Sorrento resident received a surprise visit from a furry neighbour and is thrilled to have captured its photo.

The visitor, a short-tailed weasel (also known as an ermine or stoat) made its first appearance on Elli J.’s Sorrento property on Sunday, Nov. 3.

“We’ve lived here since 2013 and have never seen the weasel before now…,” said Elli in an email to the Observer. “It was very hard to get any pics as he/she moves VERY fast and in all directions. It also went down holes that are everywhere from voles, mice and snakes. They are excellent mousers.”

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The Canadian Wildlife Federation says short-tailed weasels can be identified by their long bodies, short legs, long necks and triangular-shaped heads. The colour of their coats changes seasonally, brown with a white underside in the summer and completely white in the winter except for a black tip to their tail. Though primarily nocturnal, you can still catch a glimpse of short-tailed weasels during the day.

“They are also mostly nocturnal animals, so we were lucky indeed to see it!” said Elli.


@SalmonArm
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