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Forest and Bird, Volume 15, Issue 2, 1 May 1984, Unnumbered Page

A forest is more than trees A forest; large or small; native or exotic, is home to countless varieties of plant : and animal life; many of which cannot survive outside the forest environment: It protects the ground from the effects of heavy rains, which cause soil erosion; provides attractive scenic backdrops in the countryside; and gives wide scope for recreation pursuits. Mustelids In New Zealand this group of animals is winter and was highly regarded as a trim for represented by ferrets; stoats and weasels, royal robes. which were introduced between 1867 and 1912 The weasel is the smallest and least common to control rabbits, but this was largely of the three measuring only about 22cm in unsuccessful: length: It is mostly brown and has a short The largest of these animals is the ferret, or tapering tail: It is a fierce little hunter and will polecat; which is nearly as big as a small cat: It catch a_ rabbit many times bigger than itself: has creamy-white underfur with long black AllI three species are now widely distributed guard hairs and a black tail: throughout New Zealand s forest and The second largest the stoat or ermine is farmlands: about 35cm in length: It has a light brown coat Mustelids feed on rabbits, rats; mice, insects with off-white underparts, and a bushy black- and even frogs and fish: They also prey on tipped tail: Stoats are the most common of the birds and their eggs which has made them three. In cold climates its fur turns white in most unpopular 4 New Zealand Forest Service NZFS5 NEALAV REST SERV