Mink communicate using a variety of cues, including chemical, visual, and auditory signals. They are fairly quiet, but rely heavily on chemical signaling for communicating territorial boundaries and reproductive status.
Mink have excellent senses of vision, smell, and hearing.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Other Communication Modes: scent marks
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
The main threat towards mink survival is the continued existence of the fur market. Forty-seven states and all Canadian provinces currently conduct limited trapping seasons on mink, with the length of the season varying from area to area (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982). Quotas on catch size have also been set in many places. Both of these tactics allow the limited removal of mink in order that population densities will remain constant.
Another threat includes the destruction of mink habitat. Mink depend heavily on aquatic areas. Creating, enhancing, and maintaining such habitat allows for the continued existence of healthy populations throughout the range of the species (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982).
The presence of environmental contaminants such as mercury and hydrocarbon compounds (e.g., DDT and PCBs) pose an additional threat to mink (Kurta 1995). These chemicals accumulate within the mink's tissues and can cause problems in reproduction or even threaten the animal's life. Closer regulation over the use and disposal of these chemicals is necessary.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
The only negative affects that can be attributed to mink is the possible competition between mink and humans for water fowl or other game species.
Mink pelts have for years been considered one of the most luxurious furs on the market. Originally all fur came from natural populations, causing a severe strain on the species. However, starting in the mid 1900s, mink ranches were established to help bring a more consistent pelt supply to the market. Ranching was very successful, with the number of mink ranches in the United States reaching a high of 7200 during the mid-1960s (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982). While the number of ranches has declined nationally to 439 (1998), a total of 2.94 million pelts were still produced (both wild and domestic mink), that were valued at $72.9 million dollars (USDA 1999). The quality of a pelt, which significantly affects the price, is determined by its size, color, texture and density.
Positive Impacts: body parts are source of valuable material
Mink are important predators of small mammals throughout their range.
The diet of mink varies with the season. During the summer it consists of crayfish and small frogs, along with small mammals such as shrews, rabbits, mice, and muskrats. Fish, ducks and other water fowl provide additional food choices. In the winter, they primarily prey on mammals.
Animal Foods: birds; mammals; amphibians; reptiles; fish; aquatic crustaceans
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats terrestrial vertebrates)
Mink are found throughout the United States, appearing in parts of every state except Arizona. They are also present in most of Canada, including an introduced population on Newfoundland. Only along the Arctic coast and some offshore islands are they absent.
American mink have also been inadvertently introduced to the British Isles, where they escaped from fur farms in the 1960's. As a non-native predator their effects on native wildlife there are serious.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced , Native ); palearctic (Introduced )
Although mink are found throughout North America, they tend to frequent forested areas that are in close proximity to water. Streams, ponds, and lakes, with some sort of brushy or rocky cover nearby are considered optimal territory.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: taiga ; savanna or grassland ; forest
Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds; rivers and streams; coastal
Wetlands: marsh
Other Habitat Features: riparian
The maximum lifespan for a mink is usually around 10 years.
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 10 (high) years.
Mink fur is usually dark brown with white patches on the chin, chest, and throat areas. The fur is soft and thick, with oily guard hairs that waterproof the animal's coat (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982). The body is long and slender with short legs and a pointy, flat face. The toes are partially webbed, showing the mink's semi-aquatic nature. Body length is usually around 2 feet or 610 mm (Van Gelder 1982) with up to half of this length being the tail. Females, on average, are substantially smaller than males. Adult females weigh between 0.7 to 1.1 kg, while males range from 0.9 to 1.6 kilograms (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982). Body length varies as well, with males measuring from 580 to 700 mm and females from 460 to 575 mm (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982).
Range mass: 700 to 1600 g.
Range length: 460 to 700 mm.
Average length: 610 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
Mink have few natural enemies. They are occasionally killed by coyotes, bobcats and other carnivores, but their main threat remains humans. Mink, like most mustelids, are aggressive and fearless predators. They do not hesitate to defend themselves against animals larger than themselves. Mink may be occasionally taken by birds of prey, or young in a nest may be taken by snakes, but they are agile, cryptic in coloration, and secretive in nature, thereby avoiding most predation.
Known Predators:
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
During the winter, female mink become fertile and mate with one or more males (who are also promiscuous).
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
Both males and females begin mating at ten months (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982). Once a female is impregnated, her gestation period varies from 40 to 75 days (Kurta 1995). The young are born in late spring (April or May), with litter sizes usually ranging between 1 to 8 individuals (Chapman and Feldhamer 1982). Each newborn weighs 8 to 10 grams and appears pink and wrinkled, with a thin coat of white fur covering the body.
Breeding interval: Breeding occurs once yearly.
Breeding season: Mating occurs during the winter months.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 8.
Range gestation period: 40 to 75 days.
Average weaning age: 6 weeks.
Range time to independence: 6 to 10 months.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 10 months.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 10 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
The young open their eyes at three and a half weeks and are weaned at a month and a half (Van Gelder 1982). They remain with the mother through the summer until fall, when they leave to establish their own territories.
Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)
