Mustelids

Rosslyn’s many Mustelids (Mustelidae) belong to a group of carnivorous mammals with long, slender bodies, short legs. Adept tree climbers, swift swimmers, and industrious diggers, the mustelids’ agility is but one of their distinguishing characteristics. They are notorious for being aggressive and tenacious, undeterred by prey considerably larger than themselves. And mustelids complement their ferocity with the ability to express potent smelling secretions from their anal scent glands if threatened, when marking their territory, and when mating.

The Adirondack Coast (including Split Rock Wildway and Rosslyn’s wildlife sanctuary) provides healthy habitat for Ermine (aka Stoat), Fisher, Mink, Marten, River Otter, and Long-tailed Weasel. The presence of mustelids in our immediate environment ensure well balanced predator-prey dynamics and reveal healthy woodland and waterway ecosystems (ie. indicator species).