Hokkaido weasel - Hokkaido weasel

An animal of the Mammalia class, Carnivora order, Mustelidae family. Another name for stoat. Ordinary weasels (Japanese weasels) do not naturally occur in Hokkaido, but there are northern species of stoats and least weasels, both of which belong to the same Mustelidae family. Therefore, the former is sometimes called Hokkaido weasel and the latter is sometimes called small Hokkaido weasel.

[Minoru Asahi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

哺乳(ほにゅう)綱食肉目イタチ科の動物。オコジョの別名。北海道には普通のイタチ（ニホンイタチ）は自然分布せず、同じイタチ科に属する北方系のオコジョとイイズナがいる。そこで、前者をエゾイタチ、後者をコエゾイタチとよぶことがある。

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