Mink Animal

There are scores of Mink animal websites with comprehensive bits of information about this unique animal. Mink coat has a number of properties that make it an exceptional material for cloth making. At the same time, extensive use of Mink fur nearly put the species on the brink of destruction. The introduction of the American Mink to Europe resulted in a serious conflict between the American Mink and European Mink and drove the local ecosystem off balance.

Mink are members of the Mustelidae family. They live near water and maintain territories stretching for several miles along a river. Mink are great swimmers, and are renowned for their exceptional water hunting skills. Mink feed on fish, amphibians, waterfowl, as well as rodents, small and medium-sized mammals, eggs and birds. Mink animal sites provide tons of interesting information on various Mink species, their habitat and economic value.

There are two most common Mink species: the American Mink (Mustela vision) and the European Mink (Mustela lutreola). The former is found throughout the North American continent. He is larger than the European Mink. The American Mink weighs 2 lbs (female) and 3.5 lbs (male). American Mink are more capable of getting used to new environmental conditions. This became evident after their introduction into Europe in the late 1920s. More detailed accounts on those events can be found on various Mink animal sites.

The American Mink has a lustrous coat, featuring a very dense undercoat to compensate for lack of subcutaneous fat. Mink animal information sources available on the web emphasize the properties of Mink coat as a material of huge economic importance. This enables them to successfully hunt in very cold water. Mink found in northern regions have finer coat than those common in southern parts of the country. The upper coat is made up of long and stiff hairs. The coat is usually dark brown, and there is a white marking under the chin. Unlike European Mink, the white does not cover the upper lip.

Mink are nocturnal, being usually active at dusk or at dawn. They are territorial, and can be quite aggressive in defending their home ranges. Individuals have several dens within their territories. Their habit of killing more game than they can consume has made some people think of them as the only non-human species capable of “killing for fun”. Indeed, this is just their common way of creating food stock, and they take to this way of hunting on the eve of winter so that the food freezes up and remains intact throughout winter. This trait is usually highlighted in Mink animal information sources in order to dispel myths about the Mink being a vicious killer.