Russia's tiniest predator - THE LEAST WEASEL (PHOTOS)

At first glance, it looks like a cute toy: a body length of up to 20 cm, weight up to just 200 grams and large black bead-like eyes with a tiny muzzle. Its fluffy coat is brown in summer and turns dazzling white in winter.

This is the least weasel or ‘laska’ in Russian – the smallest member of the order Carnivora, not only in Russia, but also on the entire planet. Its closest relatives are the stoat (or ermine) and the mink.

The least weasel lives not only in forests, but also quite close to humans: in parks, in the basements of village houses. However, it's difficult to spot, as it's small and nimble, blending into its surroundings. And the further north you go, the smaller it gets. Just imagine trying to find one in the snow!

Behind its cute appearance hides a ruthless, merciless hunter, dubbed the "scourge of mice" by people.

It hunts rodents as large as itself or even larger. The reason is… constant hunger. The weasel needs to feed every 2-3 hours. This creates a "killing machine" in the cutest guise.

But, how can it defeat prey larger than itself? The secret lies in a combination of physiology and temperament. Its thin and flexible body allows it to pursue rodents lightning-fast, squeezing into any crack. And its hyperactivity turns every day into an endless hunt.

Interestingly, the name ‘laska’ is considered common to all Slavic languages. And, in those languages, as in Russian, this word is also used to mean ‘affection’ or ‘tenderness’.