A family of weasels can be observed near the caretaker site in the alkali meadow and in the parking area at the oaks preserve. These creatures are a delight to watch as they jump and play in the tall grass. They have poor daytime vision and if you are very still and quiet, they won't know you are watching them. But you must not let them hear you giggle when you see them perform their comical acrobatics. 

Weasels are lithe, slender animals with elongated necks, muscular, snakelike bodies, and short legs. They vary from 5 to 16 inches in length, and the male is larger than the female. Their heads are small and triangular with narrowed snouts. Nearly all weasels are brownish-red above and lighter beneath. 

These photographs were taken on Sunday, March 11th, 2001 by former Four Creeks Vice-President, Richard Webb. He often visits the oaks preserve with his grandson. Richard can entertain the youngster with all the fun things that happen out there... there is always something exciting going on.

Richard writes:
Apparently, the dead weasel was killed by being hit by a vehicle.  The
body did not appear to have been run over.  However, there was dried
blood that had come out of the ears.

That would be a typical way one might be struck given the photograph
of the second weasel sticking his head up out of the hole to look for
"Fred", his dead buddy.  Or maybe it was Fredericka, who knows, I didn't
look.

The body of the dead one was still flexible. Therefore, it must have been killed
that day or the previous afternoon.  Any longer than that and I sure it would
have been quite stiff.

We have seen weasels about 5 out of the last 6 times we have been at KOP.
One group (family?) runs around near the entrance gate at the parking lot. 
We have seen a second group near the corral and then the ones in the pictures
are adjacent to about the middle of the mitigation site.  However, they may be
the same ones that were near the corral.

The weasel, which preys on mice, rats, birds, and rabbits, is largely nocturnal. Extremely agile, it attacks animals larger than itself. Although sometimes a serious threat to poultry, it also feeds on rodents around farms. When young, the weasel can be tamed. The female makes a nest of straw, leaves, and moss in a ground crevice or a hollow tree. A litter has two to twelve young.

Weasels belong to the family Mustelidae and make up the genus Mustela. 

More webpages about weasels:

FACT - Bakersfield weasel info page