Why must weasels dedicate almost all waking hours to hunting or feeding?

Answer

As warm-blooded endotherms with small body mass, they lose heat rapidly and burn calories at an alarming rate

The relentless need to hunt stems directly from the weasel’s physiological classification and physical characteristics. Because they are endotherms (warm-blooded) and possess a small body mass relative to their activity level, they have a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, causing them to lose body heat to the environment very quickly. To maintain the necessary core body temperature required for survival, they burn calories at an extremely high rate. This metabolic reality dictates that even a few days without significant food intake can become fatal, thus requiring constant refueling through hunting and feeding activities, even intensifying during cold winter months when energy expenditure increases.

Why must weasels dedicate almost all waking hours to hunting or feeding?

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