THE EUROPEAN MILK

 

The European mink (Mustela lutreola), also known as the Russian mink and Eurasian mink, is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to Europe.

It is similar in colour to the American mink, but is slightly smaller and has a less specialized skull.^[2] Despite having a similar name, build and behaviour, the European mink is not closely related to the American mink, being much closer to the European polecat and Siberian weasel (kolonok).^[3][4] The European mink occurs primarily by forest streams unlikely to freeze in winter.^[5] It primarily feeds on voles, frogs, fish, crustaceans and insects.^[6]

The European mink is listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered due to an ongoing reduction in numbers, having been calculated as declining more than 50% over the past three generations and expected to decline at a rate exceeding 80% over the next three generations.^[1] European mink numbers began to shrink during the 19th century, with the species rapidly becoming extinct in some parts of Central Europe. During the 20th century, mink numbers declined all throughout their range, the reasons for which having been hypothesised to be due to a combination of factors, including climate change, competition with (as well as diseases spread by) the introduced American mink, habitat destruction, declines in crayfish numbers and hybridisation with the European polecat. In Central Europe and Finland, the decline preceded the introduction of the American mink, having likely been due to the destruction of river ecosystems, while in Estonia, the decline seems to coincide with the spread of the American mink.^[7]

 

Evolution and taxonomy

 

Fossil finds of the European mink are very rare, thus indicating the species is either a relative newcomer to Europe, probably having originated in North America,^[8] or a recent speciation caused by hybridization. It likely first arose in the Middle Pleistocene, with several fossils in Europe dated to the Late Pleistocene being found in caves and some suggesting early exploitation by humans. Genetic analyses indicate, rather than being closely related to the American mink, the European mink's closest relative is the European polecat (perhaps due to past hybridization)^[3] and the Siberian weasel,^[4] being intermediate in form between true polecats and other members of the genus. The closeness between the mink and polecat is emphasized by the fact the species can hybridize.^[9][10][11]

 

Subspecies

 

As of 2005,^[12] seven subspecies are recognised. 

 

 Build

The European mink is a typical representative of the genus Mustela, having a greatly elongated body with short limbs. However, compared to its close relative, the Siberian weasel, the mink is more compact and less thinly built, thus approaching ferrets and European polecats in build. The European mink has a large, broad head with short ears. The limbs are short, with relatively well-developed membranes between the digits, particularly on the hind feet. The mink's tail is short, and does not exceed half the animal's body length (constituting about 40% of its length).^[17] The European mink's skull is less elongated than the kolonok's, with more widely spaced zygomatic arches and has a less massive facial region. In general characteristics, the skull is intermediate in shape between that of the Siberian weasel and the European polecat. Overall, the skull is less specialized for carnivory than that of polecats and the American mink. Males measure 373–430 mm (14.7–16.9 in) in body length, while females measure 352–400 mm (13.9–15.7 in). Tail length is 153–190 mm (6.0–7.5 in) in males and 150–180 mm (5.9–7.1 in).^[18] Overall weight is 550–800 grams (1.21–1.76 lb).^[9] It is a fast and agile animal, which swims and dives skilfully. It is able to run along stream beds, and stay underwater for one to two minutes.^[19] When swimming, it paddles with both its front and back limbs simultaneously.^[5]

 

Fur

European mink face - note the white markings on the upper lip, which are absent in the American species.

The winter fur of the European mink is very thick and dense, but not long, and quite loosely fitting. The underfur is particularly dense compared with that of more land-based members of the genus Mustela. The guard hairs are quite coarse and lustrous, with very wide contour hairs which are flat in the middle, as is typical in aquatic mammals. The length of the hairs on the back and belly differ little, a further adaptation to the European mink's semiaquatic way of life. The summer fur is somewhat shorter, coarser and less dense than the winter fur, though the differences are much less than in purely terrestrial mustelids.^[20]

In dark coloured individuals, the fur is dark brown or almost blackish-brown, while light individuals are reddish brown. Fur colour is evenly distributed over the whole body, though in a few cases, the belly is a bit lighter than the upper parts. In particularly dark individuals, a dark, broad dorsal belt is present. The limbs and tail are slightly darker than the trunk. The face has no colour pattern, though its upper and lower lips and chin are pure white. White markings may also occur on the lower surface of the neck and chest. Occasionally, colour mutations such as albinos and white spots throughout the pelage occur. The summer fur is somewhat lighter, and dirty in tone, with more reddish highlights.^[20]

 

Differences from American mink

 

The European mink is similar to the American mink, but with several important differences. The tail is longer in the American species, almost reaching half its body length. The winter fur of the American mink is denser, longer and more closely fitting than that of the European mink. Unlike the European mink, which has white patches on both upper and lower lips, the American mink almost never has white marks on the upper lip.^[21] The European mink's skull is much less specialised than the American species' in the direction of carnivory, bearing more infantile features, such as a weaker dentition and less strongly developed projections.^[22] The European mink is reportedly less efficient than the American species underwater.^[5]

 

 Behaviour

 

Territorial and denning behaviours

European mink by a pond

The European mink does not form large territories, possibly due to the abundance of food on the banks of small water bodies. The size of each territory varies according to the availability of food; in areas with water meadows with little food, the home range is 60–100 hectares (150–250 acres), though it is more usual for territories to be 12–14 hectares (30–35 acres). Summer territories are smaller than winter territories. Along shorelines, the length of a home range varies from 250–2,000 m (270–2,190 yd), with a width of 50–60 m (55–66 yd).^[23]

The European mink has both a permanent burrow and temporary shelters. The former is used all year except during floods, and is located no more than 6–10 m (6.6–10.9 yd) from the water's edge. The construction of the burrow is not complex, often consisting of one or two passages 8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in) in diameter and 1.40–1.50 m (1.53–1.64 yd) in length, leading to a nest chamber measuring 48 cm × 55 cm (19 in × 22 in). Nesting chambers are lined with straw, moss, mouse wool and bird feathers.^[23] It is more sedentary than the American mink, and will confine itself for long periods in its burrow in very cold weather.^[5]

Reproduction and development

During the mating season, the sexual organs of the female enlarge greatly and become pinkish-lilac in colour, which is in contrast with the female American mink, whose organs do not change.^[5] In the Moscow Zoo, estrus was observed on 22–26 April, with copulation lasting from 15 minutes to an hour. The average litter consists of three to seven kits. At birth, kits weigh about 6.5 grams (0.23 oz), and grow rapidly, trebling their weight 10 days after birth. They are born blind; the eyes open after 30–31 days. The lactation period lasts 2.0 to 2.5 months, though the kits eat solid food after 20–25 days. They accompany the mother on hunting expeditions at the age of 56–70 days, and become independent at the age 70–84 days.^[24]

 

Diet

 

The European mink has a diverse diet consisting largely of aquatic and riparian fauna. Differences between its diet and that of the American mink are small. Voles are the most important food source, closely followed by crustaceans, frogs and water insects. Fish are an important food source in floodlands, with cases being known of European minks catching fish weighing 1–1.2 kg (2.2–2.6 lb). The European mink's daily food requirement is 140–180 grams (4.9–6.3 oz). In times of food abundance, it caches its food.^[6]

 

Range and status

 

The European mink is mostly restricted to Europe. Its range was widespread in the 19th century, with a distribution extending from northern Spain in the west to the river Ob (just east of the Urals) in the east, and from the Archangelsk region in the north to the northern Caucasus in the south. Over the last 150 years, though, it has severely declined by more than 90% and been extirpated or greatly reduced over most of its former range. The current range includes an isolated population in northern Spain and western France, which is widely disjunct from the main range in Eastern Europe (Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, central regions of European Russia, the Danube Delta in Romania and northwestern Bulgaria). It occurs from sea level to 1,120 m (1,220 yd).^[1] In Estonia, the European mink population has been successfully re-established on the island of Hiiumaa, and there are plans for repeating the process on the nearby island of Saaremaa.^[25]

 

Decline

Illustration from Brehms Tierleben

The earliest actual records of decreases in European mink numbers occurred in Germany, having already become extinct in several areas by the middle of the 18th century. A similar pattern occurred in Switzerland, with no records of minks being published in the 20th century. Records of minks in Austria stopped by the late 18th century. By the 1930s-1950s, the European mink became extinct in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and possibly Bulgaria. In Finland, the main decline occurred in the 1920s-1950s and the species was thought to be extinct in the 1970s, though a few specimens were reported in the 1990s. In Latvia, the European mink was thought to be extinct for years, until a specimen was captured in 1992. In Lithuania, the last specimens were caught in 1978–79. The decline of the European mink in Estonia and Belarus was rapid during the 1980s, with only a few small, fragmented populations in the northeastern regions of both countries being reported in the 1990s. The decline of European mink numbers in Ukraine began in the late 1950s, with now only a few small and isolated populations being reported in the upper courses of the Ukrainian Carpathian rivers. Their numbers in Moldova began to drop very quickly in the 1930s, with the last known population having been confined to the lower course of the River Prut on the Romanian border by the late 1980s. In Romania, the European mink was very common and widely distributed, with 8000–10,000 being captured in 1960. Currently, Romanian mink populations are confined to the Danube Delta. In European Russia, the European mink was common and widespread in the early 20th century, but began to decline during the 1950s-1970s. The core of their range was in the Tver Region, though they began to decline there by the 1990s, which was worsened by a colonisation of the area by the American mink. Between 1981 and 1989, 388 European minks were introduced to two of the Kurile Islands, though by the 1990s, the population there was found to be lower than that originally released. In France and Spain, an isolated range occurs, extending from Brittany to northern Spain. Data from the 1990s indicate the European mink has disappeared from the northern half of this previous range.^[7]

 

Possible reasons for decline

 

Habitat loss

 

Habitat-related declines of European mink numbers may have started during the Little Ice Age, which was further aggravated by human activity.^[5] As the European mink is more dependent on wetland habitats than the American species, its decline in Central Europe, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Moldova and Ukraine has been linked to the drainage of small rivers. In mid-19th-century Germany, for example, European mink populations declined in a decade due to expanded land drainage. Although land improvement and river dredging certainly resulted in population decreases and fragmentation, in areas which still maintain suitable river ecosystems, such as Poland, Hungary, the former Czechoslovakia, Finland and Russia, the decline preceded the change in wetland habitats, and may have been caused by extensive agricultural development.^[7]

Overhunting

 

The European mink was historically hunted extensively, particularly in Russia, where in some districts, the decline prompted a temporary ban on mink hunting to let the population recover. In the early 20th century, 40–60,000 European minks were caught annually in the Soviet Union, with a record of 75,000 individuals (an estimate which exceeds the modern global European mink population). In Finland, annual mink catches reached 3000 specimens in the 1920s. In Romania, 10,000 minks were caught annually around 1960. However, this reason alone cannot account for the decline in areas where hunting was less intense, such as in Germany.^[7]

 

Decline of crayfish

 

The decline of European crayfish has been proposed as a factor in the drop in mink numbers, as minks are notably absent in the eastern side of the Urals, where crayfish are also absent. The decline in mink numbers has also been linked to the destruction of crayfish in Finland during the 1920s-1940s, when the crustaceans were infected with crayfish plague. The failure of the European mink to expand west to Scandinavia coincides with the gap in crayfish distribution.^[7]

 

Competition with the American mink and disease

 

The American mink was introduced and released in Europe during the 1920s-1930s. The American mink is less dependent on wetland habitats than the European mink and is 20-40% larger. The impact of feral American minks on European mink populations has been explained through the competitive exclusion principle and because the American mink reproduces a month earlier than the European species, and matings between male American minks and female European minks result in the embryos being reabsorbed. Thus, female European minks impregnated by male American minks are unable to reproduce with their conspecifics. Disease spread by the American mink can also account for the decline. Though the presence of the American mink has coincided with the decline of European mink numbers in Belarus and Estonia, the decline of the European mink in some areas preceded the introduction of the American mink by many years, and there are areas in Russia where the American species is absent, though European mink populations in these regions are still declining.^[7]

Diseases spread by the American mink can also account for the decline.^[7] Twenty-seven helminth species are recorded to infest the European mink, consisting of 14 trematodes, two cestodes and 11 nematodes. The mink is also vulnerable to pulmonary filariasis, krenzomatiasis and skrjabingylosis.^[24] In the Leningrad and Pskov Oblasts, 77.1% of European minks were found to be infected with skrjabingylosis.^[5]

Hybridisation and competition with the European polecat

Main article: Polecat–mink hybrid

 

In the early 20th century, northern Europe underwent a warm climatic period which coincided with an expansion of the range of the European polecat. The European mink possibly was gradually absorbed by the polecat due to hybridisation. Also, competition with the polecat has greatly increased, due to landscape change favouring the polecat.^[7] There is one record of a polecat attacking a mink and dragging it to its burrow.^[24]

Polecat-mink hybrids are termed khor'-tumak by furriers^[9] and khonorik by fanciers.^[26] Such hybridisation is very rare in the wild, and typically only occurs where European minks are declining. A polecat-mink hybrid has a poorly defined facial mask, yellow fur on the ears, grey-yellow underfur and long, dark brown guard hairs. Fairly large, the males attain the peak sizes known for European polecats (weighing 1,120–1,746 g (2.469–3.849 lb) and measuring 41–47 cm (16–19 in) in length), and females are much larger than female European minks (weighing 742 g (1.636 lb) and measuring 37 cm (15 in) in length).^[10] The majority of polecat-mink hybrids have skulls bearing greater similarities to those of polecats than to minks.^[11] Hybrids can swim well like minks and burrow for food like polecats. They are very difficult to tame and breed, as males are sterile, though females are fertile.^[11][26] The first captive polecat-mink hybrid was created in 1978 by Soviet zoologist Dr. Dmitry Ternovsky of Novosibirsk. Originally bred for their fur (which was more valuable than that of either parent species), the breeding of these hybrids declined as European mink populations decreased.^[26] Studies on the behavioural ecology of free-ranging polecat-mink hybrids in the upper reaches of the Lovat River indicate the hybrids will stray from aquatic habitats more readily than pure minks, and will tolerate both parent species entering their territories, though the hybrid's larger size (especially the male's) may deter intrusion. During the summer period, the diet of wild polecat-mink hybrids is more similar to that of the mink than to the polecat, as they feed predominantly on frogs. During the winter, their diets overlap more with those of polecats, and will eat a larger proportion of rodents than in the summer, though they still rely heavily on frogs and rarely scavenge ungulate carcasses as the polecat does.^[10]

Predation

 

Predators of the European mink include the European polecat, the American mink, the golden eagle, large owls^[5] and the red fox. Red fox numbers have increased greatly in areas where the wolf and Eurasian lynx have been extirpated, as well as areas where modern forestry is practised. As red foxes are known to prey on mustelids, excessive fox predation on the European mink is a possible factor, though it is improbable to have been a factor in Finland, where fox numbers were low during the early 20th century.^[7]

References

 

 

 Mustela lutreola

(Linnaeus, 1761)

 

 

 European mink range

 

  Extant, resident

  Probably Extant, resident

  Extinct

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE JAPANESE WEASEL

 

 

The Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) is a carnivorous mammal belonging to the genus Mustela in the family Mustelidae. The most closely related Mustela species is the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica). Its taxonomic species name, itatsi, is based on the Japanese word for weasel, itachi (イタチ). It is native to Japan where it occurs on the islands of Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku.^[2] It has been introduced to Hokkaidō and the Ryukyu Islands to control rodents and has also been introduced to Sakhalin Island in Russia.^[3][4]

It has an orange-brown coloured fur coat with darker markings on the head and varies in size depending on its gender.^[5][6] They have a long slender body, a long tail, relatively short legs and sharp claws. It is often confused with the Siberian weasel which has a different ratio of tail to head and body length.^[5] Unlike other species of weasels, their coat does not change colour in winter.^[7] Average lifespan of a Japanese weasel is highly dependent on the availability of food and to a lesser extent other factors that affect its life. In the wild it can live for 2 to 3 years with the highest in the range living to about 5 years.^[8] The Japanese weasel has a tail ratio of 36–50% while the Siberian weasel has a ratio greater than 50%. The population of the Japanese weasel has seen a decline of 25% over the last 3 generations which has been used to justify its status as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. The government of Japan has prevented the hunting of female Japanese weasels as a measure to conserve the species.^[1]

It is often classified as a subspecies of the Siberian weasel (M. sibirica). The two species are very similar in appearance but differ in the ratio of tail length to head and body length.^[2] There are also genetic differences which suggest that the two diverged around 1.6–1.7 million years ago.^[2] Mitochondrial sequencing of the two species suggests that the two species diverged in the Early Pleistocene.^[9] Their ranges now overlap in western Japan where the Siberian weasel has been introduced.^[2]

Adult males of the Japanese weasel can reach 35 cm (14 in) in body length with a tail length of up to 17 cm (6.7 in).^[3] Females are smaller. The species typically occurs in mountainous or forested areas near water.^[3] Its diet includes mice, frogs, reptiles, insects and crayfish.^[3][10]

 

Ecology

Japanese weasels are sexually dimorphic with the males weighing approximately three times that of females.^[11] Despite this, there is no significant observable difference of tail-ratios between the sexes.^[6] Both sexes are capable of creating a smelly excretion known as musk from an anal gland used to repel predators^[5] which is employed by rubbing this secretion on rocks, branches and other natural obstacles.^[8] They are sexually mature before they are a year old and give birth to four to five offspring.^[5] The offspring are weaned in 8 weeks.^[7]

Japanese weasels have been responsible for the protection of tree saplings in winter as they hunt the rodents that chew on the roots when hibernating snakes and owls can’t control the rodent population.^[7]

 

Diet

 

The diet of the Japanese weasel involves a mix of animals including mice, reptiles, crayfish and frogs.^[5] They eat some non-meat food such as berries, seeds and fruits but generally only when hungry.^[11][7] Additionally, there is a difference between the diets of males and females due to their sexual dimorphism.^[10] Males tend to eat more mammals and crustacean while females tend to eat a more varied diet of insects, fruit and earthworms.^[1] Their stomachs can only hold 10-20 grams of food and as small rodents weigh 15-30 grams, Japanese weasels cannot eat more than one small rodent in a sitting.^[11]

Their diet changes depending on the season depending on the scarcity and availability of certain foods.^[11] Fish and insects constitute a part of their diet throughout all seasons. However, seasonal change means that the most consumed food seasonally is coleoptera insects in spring, fruits in summer, orthoptera insects and crustaceans in autumn and fish and fruit in winter.^[10]

One of the dangers of urbanization to Japanese weasels is that their intolerance to artificial food.^[1]

 

Temperament

Japanese weasels live a solitary life^[8] and as they are prey to numerous species, cautious behaviors can be observed in the weasel.^[5] The only situations that force them to leave their solitary lifestyle is cases of mating and mothers feeding their young.^[8] Their temperament and activity is largely controlled by a balancing of several essential needs: finding food maintain metabolism, avoiding harsh weather and predators, finding mates  and feeding their young.^[8]

They move into open areas with great care and live in dens within logs, and tree stumps. They react quickly when they believe they are in danger and quickly dash to safety. Their dens are lined with grass or feathers and are known to store food in dedicated caches.^[5] Communication between weasels is achieved acoustically and chemically. Territory is decided by marking the earth with musk. Scent marks hold information that can be comprehended by other weasels about “sex, identity, social status, and breeding condition, but also the probable outcome of a confrontation.”^[11] The calls and sounds made by a Japanese weasel are varied and include trills, screeches, hisses and barks. Each sounds is used in different scenarios and circumstances from indicating imminent danger to comforting the young. should The vision of Japanese weasels is unimpeded by the dark.^[11]

Japanese weasels have a polygynous mating system as, after copulation, the male often never sees the female again. The male hunts down the female by analyzing traces of her scent. Once the female is tracked down, hours or days of play biting occurs before the relatively brief act of copulation.^[11]

Like other species of weasels, Japanese weasels, particularly males are ferocious fighters. Despite this, they are capable of avoiding confrontation by retreating from areas where another weasel’s scent remains.^[11]

 

Hunting

Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) with a frog it has hunted in its mouth.

Weasels hunt regardless of whether it is day or night, instead, they hunt depending on their level of hunger.^[11] For Japanese weasels, hunting most often occurs along rivers though, at times, they enter suburban areas and grasslands to find prey.^[8]

Due to their high metabolism, weasels must constantly hunt to fulfill their energy needs. Japanese weasels, like other weasels, use their agility to their advantage as they are confident swimmers, climbers, runners and capable of reaching prey in hard to reach places. They use of their long body to aid their hunting as they wrap their body around prey to suppress its struggle. Additionally, the prey can be reoriented within its bodily grip. Even after taking a deep bite into the prey, the Japanese weasel holds on for some time.^[7] The prey can be found by scent, vision or hearing though the kill is ultimately done by sight.^[11]

Japanese weasels investigate holes and cracks to hunt out smaller prey. Small prey such as mice are hunted by pierces to the brain and neck with their teeth and are also carried by the neck. Japanese weasels are prey to some larger animals. Foxes, martens, preying birds and domestic cats hunt Japanese weasels and pose a threat to their life.^[5] Despite this, Japanese weasels are known to hunt prey larger than them such as rabbits. Even as prey, rabbits pose a threat to weasels and are capable of kicking and dragging in defence.^[11] In snowy areas in winter, Japanese weasels chase rodents through tunnels in the snow, using their slender bodies to their advantage.^[8][7]

Caching is employed by Japanese weasels when they kill multiple prey within one session.^[5][11] This occurs when multiple prey are visible to weasels as their willingness to hunt is instantaneous and instinctual when prey enters their line of sight regardless of hunger levels. Japanese weasels maintain this supply of excess food in their cache, and this is done at a greater importance in winter as there are days when weather prevents hunting. Where there are chicken coups or other locations of extremely vulnerable prey, the supply of cached food can far exceed its dietary needs.^[11]

 

Distribution and habitat

 

As they have thin fur and long bodies, the selection of a nest is important to Japanese weasels. There is variation between males and females in the way they select their nests as females require habitats with higher quality food than males. This is due to the need to feed both themselves and their offspring.^[1]

The Japanese weasel is found to inhabit grasslands, shrublands, forests^[1] and plantations.^[5] They are not affected greatly by altitude and have an upper elevation limit of 336 metre.^[5][1] Of the forests they live in, they inhabit both natural and secondary forests.^[5] They are found widespread throughout Japan but have evacuated most of western Japan and lowlands which the introduced Siberian weasel has taken over as the dominant weasel.^[1]

The co-existence of villages and Japanese weasels pose a risk to the life of the weasel as many dead Japanese weasels are found to be killed on roads.^[6] Further, they are not typically found within big cities. They are not at all found within urban Tokyo. A decrease in human activity in rural areas leads to the return of Japanese weasels to that area. This was seen in the rural regions of Oitia, Japan. The area that sees the greatest decline of Japanese weasels is western Japan.^[1]

 

Vermin control

 

The Japanese weasel has been used by the governments of both Russia and Japan as an aid for vermin control.^[5]

In order to deal with Hokkaido’s rat problem, the Japanese weasel was introduced to the island in the 1880s. In 1932 it was also introduced to southern Sakhalin Island in Russia however there are no reliable records on the current state of the Japanese weasel’s population there since 1980.^[1]

The introduction of the species in some cases, especially Miyake Island has inadvertently affected population of Japanese bush warblers as they hunt eggs and chicks of the bird. Prior to the introduction of the Japanese weasel, predation towards the warbler rarely occurred. After introduction of the Japanese weasels, the survival rate of the warbler in nestling and incubation stages has been measured to be around 0.498 and 0.848.^[12]

As they prey on domesticated birds such as chickens they are seen as having a negative economic impact on humans.^[8]

 

In Japanese culture

 

The Japanese weasel has been embedded in everyday Japanese vernacular. In Japanese “itachi gokko” or “weasel play” defines the vicious cycle of repeating the same message. The scent of their excreted musk gives rise to the saying “itachi no saigo-pei” which translates to “the weasel’s final fart” which is used to describe the final words of an unpopular speaker. An individual who acts with bravado only when they have no formidable opponents can be labelled “itachi” or “weasel”. Despite the everyday use of these phrases, they do not reflect the true temperament of Japanese weasel.^[7]

Folklore

 

 

See: Kamaitachi

A countryside Japanese legend states that after reaching the age of 100, a Japanese weasel will transform into a Japanese marten (Martes melampus).^[7]

Though not originally depicted as a weasel, the yokai to explain the phenomenon of cutting winds was eventually represented as a Japanese weasel. Named kamaitachi (鎌鼬), the yokai is depicted as having long, sharp nails similar in shape to sickles. It is a highly recognisable yokai found throughout Japan though most commonly in the snowy north of Honshu. The characterisation of the yokai varies slightly across Japan. For example, it is recognised as a trio of three weasels each with their own characteristic action. One to push over a victim, another that inflicts injury with a blade and the third which administers a healing salve.^[13]

The existence of kamaitachi has been accepted from as early as 1911 as the British Medical Journal reported on what was referred to as "Kamaitachi Disease" which was labelled as a spontaneous wound.^[13][14] The wound is described as crescent shaped and spontaneously appeared during thunderstorms as a result of temporary vacuum. (Y. Tanaka), writing for the British Medical Journal explains with the phenomenon that “…during thunderstorms a temporary vacuum may occur in places as a result of stray air currents, and if a part of the body comes into such a space a tear may result from the internal pressure unmodified by the action of external pressure.”^[14]

 

 

References

 

 Binomial name

 

 Mustela itatsi

Temminck, 1844

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese weasel range
 

(blue - native, red - introduced)