The littlest assassin

Say carnivore and you probably picture a wolf, lion, or polar bear, the last of which can weigh more than 10,000 times the tiniest meat eater in Britain. A small female least weasel (aka common weasel) can weigh just 50g, and the species is so slim it can fit through a wedding ring, making it easy to hunt small rodent prey right into their burrows. The russetbacked, white-throated Mustela nivalis kills with a bite to the back of the neck; mouse brain is a favourite delicacy, although this fierce little killer will also hunt rabbits many times its size. Elusive by nature, you might spot one dashing across the path in pursuit of its next meal.