Golden-rumped elephant shrew vs Stoat, Ermine

Rhynchocyon chrysopygus compared with Mustela erminea

Key Differences

• Golden-rumped elephant shrew is Endangered while Stoat, Ermine is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Golden-rumped elephant shrew	Stoat, Ermine
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Macroscelidea (Macroscelidea)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Macroscelididae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Rhynchocyon	Mustela
Species	Rhynchocyon chrysopygus	Mustela erminea

Evolutionary Relationship

Golden-rumped elephant shrew and Stoat, Ermine share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Golden-rumped elephant shrew

EN — Endangered

Stoat, Ermine

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Golden-rumped elephant shrew	Stoat, Ermine
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Golden-rumped elephant shrew

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Stoat, Ermine

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Indonesia), Europe (6 countries), North America (United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Stoat, Ermine

Stoat, Ermine (Mustela erminea) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.