Mink is a small mammal prized for its fur. The luxurious winter pelts of minks have long been in demand by the fur industry, which uses them to make expensive capes, coats, stoles, and other clothing.
Minks have slender bodies and short legs. They weigh from about 11/2 to 23/4 pounds (0.7 to 1.2 kilograms). They range in length from about 20 to 25 inches (50 to 64 centimeters), not including their bushy tails. Wild minks have brown fur. But minks raised in captivity have been bred to have black, blue, silver-gray, and white coats.
There are two species of minks, the North American mink and the European mink. The North American mink lives throughout most of North America. It is slightly larger than the European mink, which originally lived in northern Europe and northern and central Asia. Only the fur of American minks has commercial value.
How minks live.
Minks live in rural and wilderness areas near rivers, streams, marshes, and lakes. They hunt in the water and on land. Their underwater prey include crayfish, frogs, and minnows. Minks, however, have limited underwater vision. Therefore, they often sight their prey from the shore and then dive into the water and try to catch it. The double-layered fur of minks helps them hunt in water. The oily outer layer repels water, keeping the mink dry. The soft, thick layer beneath keeps the mink warm. On land, minks hunt under logs, between rocks, and in rodent burrows for mice, muskrats, rabbits, and snakes. Their enemies include bobcats, foxes, and certain types of owls.
Loading the player...Minks in a den
Female minks have litters of from 2 to 10 young. They give birth in the spring. The mothers raise and feed the young without help from the males. By the end of their first summer, the young can feed themselves. By the end of their first year, they have established their hunting territories and they can reproduce. Minks rarely live beyond three years.
Minks are legally trapped in winter throughout their range in North America. The pelts of female minks, though smaller than those of males, often are more valuable, because they are less coarse.
Mink ranches.
American minks are raised in captivity on mink ranches, also called mink farms, in many parts of the world. The fur of minks raised on ranches is less likely to be damaged than the fur of wild minks. Many American minks have escaped from ranches in northern Europe. These minks have established wild American mink populations that have nearly caused the extinction of the native European mink.
