Mammals of Panama:  The Long-Tailed Weasel (Neogale Frenata). It is also known as the Bridled Weasel, Masked Ermine, or Big Stoat 

Appearance: 

• Long, slender body
• Long, bushy tail
• Small, narrow head
• Long whiskers
• Short legs
• Cinnamon brown in color with white under parts

Behavior: 

• Not social animals
• Males and females live apart except during mating season
• Aggressive when their home ranges are intruded
• Quick, alert, and agile
• Hunt by detecting scent or sound
• Kill prey with a quick bite at the base of the skull
• May be active in the daytime but are more active during the night
• Noisy, usually in response to a disturbance

Other information:

• Run with their backs arched like a bridge and tail held straight out 
• Great swimmers and quick tree climbers 
• Shed their fur twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall 
• Coat of animals in northern populations is white in the winter and brown in the summer 

Weasles Live in a Variety of Habitats, Including Jungles, Grasslands and Farmlands of Panama