The American Mink is a member of the weasel family

By Al Lowe
Contributor

What kind of fur coat do most young ladies dream of having? Mink, of course! This fur comes from a member of the weasel family. The mink looks a lot like a weasel, but it is quite a bit bigger. Normal color for mink is dark brown, from rich reddish brown to nearly black.
Mink have been trapped ever since trapping began in this country, but nowadays many more mink are raised in captivity than are taken in the wild. Those exotic furs, like lavender and silver, are almost exclusively from mink farms.
Mink are semi-aquatic. That means that they live near the water for most of their lives. They are good swimmers and can fish quite easily. They prey on fish, frogs, crayfish and insects, but they will also eat eggs, small birds and worms. And they will go after other mammals, like mice, voles, and cottontail rabbits. They are not too particular. In turn, they are eaten by owls, hawks, the wild cats, foxes and wolves, and by their larger cousin, the fisher.
Mink have a curious quirk in their reproductive cycle. Females can be impregnated over a long period of time. But the embryos go into what is called a resting stage. This may be anywhere from 40 days to nearly twice that. If pregnancy occurs early, the resting stage is long. If late, it is short. The result is that almost all mink are born in late April or early May.
The Mink, although it has been trapped for its fur for many, many years, is in no danger whatsoever of becoming extinct, or even is short supply. Its range covers almost all of the treed areas of Canada and the U.S. It has adapted to civilization extremely well, and can be found in farm areas, on salt-water beaches, in the cities, as well as in the wilderness. As long as there is water nearby, the Mink will establish itself nearly anywhere..
Male Mink can run up to 2 feet in length and weigh 4 pounds or so. But the females are much smaller, at 20 inches and 2 plus pounds.
Incidentally, if you have ever visited a mink farm, you will know that, although the fur may be gorgeous, the smell certainly isn't.
Watch for this little animal loping along the shore, or popping out of the water. He is easy to spot in the winter, since he doesn't hibernate, and his coat doesn't change color. The American Mink, Mustela vison, is one of our fascinating small mammals, as well as being the provider of the real aristocrat of furs.