Tropical weasel
The Amazon weasel (Neogale africana) is a South American weasel described by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1818. It is the largest of the three species of South American weasel.
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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starts withAmazon weasels have a typical body form for weasels, with a long, slender, torso and short legs and ears. They have short fur which varies from reddish to dark brown on the upper body, and is pale orange-tan on the underparts. A stripe of fur the same color as that on the upper body runs down the center of the chest and throat. The whiskers are short and the soles of the feet are almost hairless. Females have three pairs of teats.
These weasels are found in the Amazon basin in north-central Brazil, northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, and Ecuador. However, the full extent of their range is unknown, and they probably also inhabit southern Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guyanas. It is suggested that Amazon weasels inhabit tropical rainforests and have mostly been encountered near rivers.
Amazon weasels are rarely seen and thus, little is known of their habits. They have been reported to construct burrows in the stumps of hollow trees. and have been reported to swim in rivers or estuaries, sometimes far from the shore.
Amazon weasels are carnivorous animals and eat rodents and other small mammals.
Information about the reproductive habits of this species is scarce.
As of today, scientists know little about Amazon weasels. It is not known whether they can handle anthropogenic disturbances in the environment and their numbers may drop significantly in the future due to the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Amazon weasel total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
