A stoat, also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine, and ermine, is a small carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Mustelidae. Here are some key characteristics of stoats:

• Appearance: Stoats have an orange body, black-tipped tail, and a distinctive bounding gait. They have a long, slender body with short legs, and their fur is ginger to reddish-brown above and white to cream below. They are larger than weasels, with a body length of 24-31cm and a tail length of 9-14cm.

• Habitat: Stoats are found in open countryside and drystone walls throughout Britain and Ireland. They prefer temperate, cool, and cold climates and adapt to winter temperatures by donning a distinctive white coat.

• Diet: Stoats are opportunistic predators that eat small rodents, including mice, voles, and hamsters. They also eat insects, amphibians, lizards, and birds. They are known to climb trees to raid birds nests and are common raiders of nest boxes.

• Behavior: Stoats are fierce predators that move rapidly and investigate every available burrow or crevice for food. They are known to climb trees to gain access to birds nests. Stoats are active during the day and night and are known to hunt in daylight.

• Predators: Stoats are preyed upon by larger mammalian predators such as red foxes and sables. A wide range of birds of prey can take stoats, from small northern hawk-owls and short-eared owls to various buzzards, kites, goshawks, and even Eurasian eagle-owls and golden eagles.

In summary, a stoat is a small carnivorous mammal with an orange body, black-tipped tail, and a distinctive bounding gait. They are opportunistic predators that eat small rodents, insects, amphibians, lizards, and birds. Stoats are found in open countryside and drystone walls throughout Britain and Ireland and are preyed upon by larger mammalian predators and birds of prey.