Spring home range, spatial organisation and activity of stoats Mustela erminea in a South Island Nothofagus forest, New Zealand

This radio‐tracking study reports the spring home range, spatial organisation and activity of 11 stoats Mustela erminea in a New Zealand Nothofagus forest, 1,5 yr after significant seedfall when rodent density was low, but stoat density was high. The average home range of 4 male stoats was 223 (SE = 45) ha, significantly larger than the average range area of 94 (SE = 13) ha recorded for 7 female stoats. Stoats were generally tolerant of sharing space and did not maintain intra‐ or intersexual territorial spacing systems. There was no evidence of temporal avoidance with several stoats of the same sex showing slight attraction to one another. However, stoats still may avoid one another when in close proximity. Long‐term radio‐tracking studies are required to determine the general patterns of spacing behaviour in stoats, Male stoats showed higher levels of activity during daylight than females.