The
least weasel (
Mustela nivalis), or simply
weasel in the UK, is the smallest member of the
genus Mustela and of the
family Mustelidae (as well as the smallest of the
Carnivora), native to
Eurasia,
North America and
North Africa, though it has been introduced to
New Zealand,
Australia,
Malta,
Crete,
Bermuda,
Madeira Island, the
Azores, the
Canary Islands,
Sao Tome, the
Falkland Islands,
Argentina and
Chile. It is classed as being of
least concern by the
IUCN, due to its wide distribution and presumed large population.