While not creatures who dwell by water necessarily, these small yet mighty predators are a fairly frequent sight along the Montgomery Canal, perhaps because the wealth of wildlife using the waterway as a corridor makes it a lucrative hunting ground.

A member of the mustelid family, which includes Otters, Weasels and Polecats, the Stoat is small (around 24-32cm with a tail measuring around 10cm) with a long, low slung body that makes it particularly well suited to hunting small mammals, rodents and rabbits. The Stoat is perfectly capable of killing an adult rabbit with a bite to the base of its skull.

Stoats can be found in woodland, grassland and on heaths. They’re easier to spot in open habitats, which is why they tend to hunt along ditches, hedgerows and walls or through meadows and marshland. They’re active by day and night and search areas for food systematically, running in a zig-zag pattern.

Solitary for most of the year, these mustelids come together to breed, having a litter of 6-12 kits in spring. Female stoats can become pregnant just a few weeks after birth but a process called delayed implantation means the young won’t be born until the female has matured at around 10 months.