RANGE AND DIET OF STOATS (MUSTELA-ERMINEA) IN A NEW-ZEALAND BEECH FOREST

Home range and diet of stoats inhabiting beech forest were examined by trapping and radio-tracking. Eleven stoats (6 female, 5 male) were fi tted with radio-transmitters. Minimum home ranges of five females aver aged 124 +/- 21 ha and of four males 206 +/- 73 ha. Range lengths of f emales averaged 2.3 +/- 0.3 km and of males 4.0 +/- 0.9 km. These diff erences were not statistically significant. Adult female stoats appear ed to have mutually exclusive home ranges. Two females and one male ha d home ranges that were bisected by the Eglinton River. All three cros sed the river regularly and could only have done so by swimming. Bird remains were found in 54% of stoat guts and scats examined, lagomorphs in 33%, and invertebrates in 34%. Australian brushtail possum remains were found in 11% of samples overall, but only in guts and scats from male stoats. A road through the study area affected the behaviour of stoats. Females avoided the road but males preferred it and were found scavenging road-kills, which may explain why they are more frequently found as road-kills themselves. In most years, New Zealand beech fore st may be marginal habitat for stoats. No breeding was detected in the year of our study but there had been high productivity in the previou s season. Stoats probably survive in this habitat because they are fle xible in their diet and because their breeding biology allows them to respond rapidly to a sudden increase in food availability.