What is the origin of the name Weasel?

They are called ‘Weasel’ in English, but actually they are called ‘Itachi’ in Japanese. In this article, we will introduce why they are called Itachi in Japanese and the origin of their name. IThere are several theories about the origin of the name Itachi.

The first one is ‘Uotachi’, which means ‘fish cutter’. Itachi are good at catching fish and eating them up, and this is where the name comes from.

The second one is ‘Hitachi’, which means ‘fire stand’. Itachi’s fur is red, and their standing posture looked like a pillar of fire, and this is thought to be the origin.

The third one is ‘Ikitachi’, which means ‘breath cutter’. It is said that they stop their breath and sneak up on their prey when they hunt.

The fourth one is ‘Itahehanachi’, which means ‘painful fart release’. It comes from the strong smell they release when they are in a pinch.

The last one is ‘Ittachi’, which means ‘one stand’. Itachi have a habit of stretching and checking their surroundings. It is a theory that adding the prefix ‘I’ to ‘Tatsu’, which means ‘stand’, makes ‘Ittachi’, and then it becomes Itachi.

The origin of animal names is interesting because there are various theories.

How did you like Itachi?

It is rare to have so many theories, but they are all interesting and seem true!

Why do weasels live there?

Weasel are basically very wary, so they don’t appear in places where people can see them easily. Also, they can easily climb walls and trees, so they prefer places where they can move in three dimensions. Therefore, many of them live in mountainous areas, but there are also cases where they settled in houses.

They seem to make nests in the gaps of stone walls or under the floor, but they also often make nests in the ceiling. They are said to use the insulation materials used in the house as their nests. It is troublesome for us humans to have the insulation materials destroyed, but Itachi must be desperately trying to keep warm.

What are weasels eating?

Weasel are omnivorous animals, but they have a strong tendency to be carnivorous. Their main food sources are mice, frogs, birds, fish, insects, etc.

They like fruits such as persimmons among plants.

Also, because they have a ferocious personality, they sometimes prey on larger animals such as chickens or rabbits. They may also bite humans, so try not to touch them if possible.

How long does a weasel live?

The lifespan of weasels is about 1.5 years in captivity. In the wild, they are said to live for about 2 years. Animal lifespans are short compared to humans, but weasels are even shorter-lived.

They are said to become adults in about a year, so they may mature quickly. But it seems a little sad to think that they only live for 2 years at most from a human perspective.

What are the natural enemies of weasels?

The natural enemies of weasels are foxes, wolves, and birds of prey. They can’t compete with larger carnivores such as foxes and wolves, or raptors such as eagles and owls.

However, they can sometimes escape by emitting a strong odor, and weasels are quite tricky animals. It is exactly ‘the weasel’s last fart’.

Are weasels different from stoats, minks and civets?

There is a creature called the okojo that resembles a weasel. There are also others such as minks and ferrets. However, these are all classified as species of the weasel genus, so in a broad sense they are the same as weasels.

On the other hand, there is a creature called the masked palm civet.

The masked palm civet is classified as a species of the masked palm civet genus, so it is different from the weasel, but it looks very similar. The way to tell them apart is easy: just look at the pattern on their face!

If there is a white line from the nose to the top of the head, it is a masked palm civet. The masked palm civet is written in kanji as ‘white nose core (heart)’, so it is literally ‘the name reflects the nature’.

What is the relationship between weasels and humans?

For humans, weasels were cherished as pets. On the other hand, they were also hunted for their fur.

As pets, ferrets are famous and are believed to have been kept for about 3000 years.

On the other hand, a type of weasel genus called mink has increased in value for its fur and is traded as a luxury clothing item. You may have heard of mink coats and such.

However, recently the value has stabilized and they are no longer being overhunted. Also, besides fur, they are used for high-quality brushes.

Was weasel considered a Japanese folk monster?

In Japan, there was an old custom of thinking of weasels as yokai, or supernatural creatures. They were believed to cause various strange phenomena, and in old books they are said to start fires or bring bad luck.

They were also said to transform, like raccoon dog and foxes. Also, one of the famous things that was thought to be the work of weasel yokai is ‘kamaitachi’, or sickle weasels.

Was "kamaitachi" thought to be the work of a weasel?

'Kamaitachi’ is a phenomenon where the skin is suddenly cut without doing anything.

It is now known that dry skin cracks when it is shocked, but in the past it was said to be the work of weasel yokai. It was called ‘sickle weasel’ because it was cut like it was slashed by a sickle.

However, there is also a theory that the origin of the word is ‘kamae tachi’, or ‘ready sword’, in which case the weasel has nothing to do with it. I wonder if some people feel a sense of familiarity with the technique called ‘kamaitachi’ in various fantasy works?

Is weasel a beneficial beast? Vermin?

Originally, Japanese weasels only lived in some regions, but they were brought to various places as beneficial animals for rodent control.

If it was only rodent control, they would have remained beneficial animals, but weasels are ferocious omnivorous animals. They finally started to attack crops and livestock such as chickens.

Also, because of the damage caused by their feces and urine, the aspect of being harmful animals has become stronger than the aspect of being beneficial animals. It may be human selfishness to say so, but we want to create an environment where we can coexist with natural animals as much as possible.