First record of a least weasel in Nunavik

Abstract

The spatial distributions of several small mammals in Nunavik, Québec, Canada, currently do not rely on any recorded observations due to the rarity of wildlife surveys in that area. This is concerning because understanding changes in wildlife populations in response to the rapidly warming Arctic requires knowledge of prior population states. On the 18th of July 2021, my assistant and I captured a least weasel (Mustela nivalis Linnaeus 1766) alive 11 km south-west of Salluit during a live trapping session of lemmings and voles. Identification was done with the small body mass (44 g), the presence of prominent testicles indicating maturity, short length of the tail and pale color at the tip of the tail. All these criteria combined fits only the description of least weasels. According to the available records for this species, this observation is the first one confirmed in Nunavik. This low Arctic area was already included in the species distribution described in the literature, but no record supported it up to now. It is of particular importance considering this species is susceptible to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in the province of Quebec according to the Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec.