3 minute read
MUSTELIDS IN OUR WOODS
By Audubon Senior Director of Conservation Scott Ruhren, PhD
Audubon wildlife refuges are home to many members of the Mustelidae family, a diverse group of mammals, sometimes mistakenly called the weasel family. Mustelids in Rhode Island include minks, fisher, otters and weasels. All mustelid species are carnivorous, but can also be opportunistic, occasionally eating other foods including fruits, nuts and mushrooms. Most are small with a long body, small head and short ears and usually have scent glands used to mark territories and for communicating with mates. Many climb trees. Several swim. Many exhibit inquisitive behavior, raising their heads to inspect their landscape.
Weasels are a subfamily. The long-tailed weasels are the most common species in the eastern United States and have been spotted on Audubon trail cams. These cameras record birds and animals in remote locations on our wildlife refuges, away from trails so that wildlife may remain undisturbed.
Along the trail down to the pond at Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge in Exeter, I encountered a young mink, with the distinctive white chin patch. Riverine forests are a preferred habitat for mink and otters, and this juvenile paused long enough for me to watch and take photos. It had not yet learned to avoid people.
Members of the Mustelidae family cannot thrive when forests are destroyed or reduced. The large tracts of land Audubon protects are critical to their survival. – Dr. Scott Ruhren
One cold morning at Parker Woodland in Coventry, I stopped near the bridge crossing the iced-over Turkey Meadow Brook. A silent and sleek brown animal ran along the streamside and then disappeared under the ice. This was a mink hunting. Though often active from dusk to dawn, mink will get out during the day in more remote spots where they feel safe.
Many mustelids need large habitats to explore, hunt and reproduce. The large, continuous tracts of forest that Audubon protects are crucial for their survival. Even otters travel along stream corridors looking for new ponds like the one at Caratunk where they are seen on quiet mornings, occasionally rearing up in curiosity to see who is watching them. Sadly, because they roam far, many weasels and fisher are found dead on roads, hit by vehicles as they attempt to cross into forest bisected by pavement.
Many predators get a bad reputation while they are a key component of food webs and help in population control and the improvement of species. For example, muskrat, one of mink’s preferred foods, are “improved” by culling sick and weak individuals. Throughout human history, eradication of predators leads to community change, overabundance and imbalance.
The thick fur of the mustelid family resulted in a long history of trapping. Many species declined from trapping, hunting and even poisoning. Nowadays fewer furbearing animals are trapped in Rhode Island and species have recovered.
Weasels have long been looked down upon in literature, folklore, children’s stories and cartoons. The word weasel is often used to mean sneaky, shiftless, betrayer, and sometimes even associated with violence. But these are human values imposed on wild animals. Luckily, when observed with an open mind, weasels and their relatives are revealed to be resourceful and adaptable survivors, even in the face of human persecution. Keep your eye out for them and note their tracks in the snow this winter along ponds and streams on Audubon wildlife refuges. These curious creatures can be joyful to watch.
