There's a large static caravan site which faces on to the beach about half way between Golspie and Littleferry. The access to it and to the neighbouring kart track has public parking which leads to what used to be a long, sandy beach but, as can be seen from the photo, the sand has disappeared, presumably dragged out to sea by recent weather events.
The stoat was in full winter gear, with its startlingly white coat and black tip to its tail. Called an ermine when it is white, this mustelid is only found in Europe, the pelt's main use at one time being in the making of the cloaks worn by royalty and nobility on formal occasions such as the coronation.
It seemed rather sad that the only wildlife of any excitement lay dead in the dirt of the public highway.
I find it incredible that the combination of genetic and environmental factors can induce hormonal changes that cause the hair follicles to stop producing pigment, resulting in a white coat. Not only that but this switch happens most strongly in northern latitudes that expect snow cover in winter. I wonder what would happen if a stoat from Spain was switched with a stoat from Norway; would the environmental factors still trigger the correct colour strength for their latitude?
ReplyDeleteDo you think the snow we had at the beginning of January triggered the change to white, leaving the stoat a bright white colour - and therefore very exposed - when we changed to the warm, sunshine days of the later part of January?
DeleteI encountered a white ptarmigan on the summit of Ben Laga one new year. There had been no snow to that point in the winter and the bird stood out like a beacon. I suspect the local genetic strain is lagging behind the change from glacial to temperate at that latitude producing camoflage that no longer matches the environment. Your stoat is probably equipped with similar out-of-date genes that were beneficial when long winter snowcover was the norm.
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