Meet Mustela altai.
Asia’s Mountain Weasel, or Altai Weasel is an absolute carnivore whose preferred habitat is 3,500 metres+ above sea level.
On October 12, 2019 my beloved and I had an uncommonly close encounter with one, on his or her “moving day”.
This occurred in a very pleasant valley, just off and below the Tibetan Plateau proper, but – at circa 3, 800 metres – still within this species’ allegedly-preferred altitude range.
The night before, we had slept – or attempted to sleep – in Maduo, at 4,300 metres.
Came the morn, we were up (as usual, on this trip) well before dawn.
By the time we summited the Bayankala Pass, a little after 8 am, the sun was shining brightly, but the temperature was still below zero, with a windchill that made it feel very well below.
The day’s altitudinal high point, depending on which one of two signposts one chose to believe, found us 4,824 or 4,829 metres above sea level; either way, Mount Blanc’s summit was nearer to sea level than we were.
We then drove mostly downhill, and navigated a lower pass which took us off the Tibetan Plateau proper.
Come lunchtime, we were within an hour or so’s driving distance of Yushu city – Qinghai Province’s 4th largest, which had been almost entirely built anew, following its almost total destruction by a 2010 earthquake.
We stopped for a leisurely lunch, followed by an untaxing walk in the aforementioned valley.
We were still circa 3,800 metres above the sea – a little higher than New Zealand’s Mount Cook/Aoraki.
Here, the local climate is “alpine subarctic”. In that context, it was deliciously sunny and mild – well above zero.
Many birds sang, as we ate lunch beside some semi-derelict stone farm buildings.
Suddenly, in/on and near the nearby yard’s walls – repeatedly appearing and disappearing, in rapid succession – was something mammalian, very fleet, petite, and very wary.
You can discover more about highland Asia’s Mountain Weasels here.
A great deal is not yet known about their behaviour.
Mustela altai is, it seems, a single species (with several subspecies), mostly nocturnal, mostly solitary, decidedly feisty, and its primary prey are rodents.
Recently, its conservation status has been amended to “near threatened”, largely as a consequence of habitat loss.
Mustelidae – the Mustelids, which include weasels, stoats, badgers and otters – are the largest family within Carnivora.
They occur naturally on all continents, bar Australia and Antarctica.
Most members are very agile, fleet.
To our amazement and delight, after nine minutes or so of “checking us out”, ‘our’ Mountain Weasel decided that we did not pose a serious threat.
I’m told that it is common for a weasel to move “home” and/or larder frequently, and/or to maintain more than one home/larder, simultaneously.
Any individual weasel is likely to be very aware that some other creature – not least, another member of his/her own species – could seize the opportunity to make a raid.
‘Our’ weasel’s actions/movements were very, very rapid; the first seven of the photos below – those featuring the first piece of relocated meat – were all taken within less than two minutes.
Mild as was that time of day in this valley, one only had to look up to be reminded of where we were.
Superb shots, in an even greater location – lucky you!