In the Almaty region, in the Kaindy gorge on the territory of the Kolsai Lakes National Park, a rare and very fast predator was caught on video — a stoat that has already changed its coat to winter white. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The appearance of a stoat on video is a great stroke of luck, as these animals are extremely secretive and carefully avoid encounters with humans.
Despite its miniature size, the stoat is a swift and agile predator. Its diet consists mainly of small rodents, thanks to which the animal helps regulate their numbers and maintains the natural balance of the national park's ecosystem.
The main feature of the stoat is its seasonal change of coat. In summer its fur takes on a brownish-red hue, and with the onset of cold weather it becomes dazzlingly white. However, even in winter the tip of the stoat's tail always remains strictly black. This is its main difference from other small mustelids (for example, the weasel).
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that in the Burabay National Park, a camera trap captured an unusual scene: a wild boar chased wolves, and the predators had to flee.