The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France,
Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Islamic
Republic of Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova,
Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Pakistan,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation,
Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine.
Main Threats
• Poaching for fur & persecution.
References
Prater 1971, Suwal and Verheugt 1995, Nepal Red List Field Technicians Workshop 2010, Baral and Shah 2008.
56) Mustela sibirica (Pallas, 1773)
Common Names
Siberian Weasel (English); Saiberiyali malasapro
(Nepali)
Species Description
One of the largest weasels in Nepal. Uniformly
coloured red-brown species, has a brown belly,
undersides lighter than its back. Upper lip and
chin are white, with a black stripe from its snout to
the eyes, while its throat varies from white to pale
brown.
Species Ecology
The Siberian Weasel is found in a wide variety of
habitats, including dense forest, in primary and
secondary deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests,
rhododendron forests, as well as open areas with
small patches of forest enclaves and forest steppe
and along river valleys and near human settlements.
The main diet comprises of small mammals (for
example, voles, squirrels, mice and pikas),
amphibians, fish, and carrion. This species has a
gestation period of approximately one month,
producing a litter of about seven young.
Conservation Status
Global: Least Concern
National: Least Concern
Rationale for assessment: This species is considered
Least Concern in view of its wide distribution,
presumed large population, lack of major threats
and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly
the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened
category.
Legal Status
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029
(1973). This species occurs within protected areas.
National Population Size
There is no information available on the population
size or status of this species in Nepal. Video footage
of an individual was recently captured in
Makalu-Barun National Park.
National Distribution
The Siberian Weasel occurs across Nepal and within
the protected areas of Annapurna Conservation
Area, Makalu Barun National Park, Shey Phoksundo
National Park, Rara National Park and Sagarmatha
National Park.
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