Beautiful coat, bad reputation
Photo: Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
American mink
American mink Mink ehk ameerika naarits Mustela vison
The American mink can be found in the whole of Europe but it has not come here of its own free will. People brought it here for their fur farms, but no prison is escape-proof.
The American mink has wiped out the European mink in nature in nearly all of Europe during the 20th century. The American mink has turned out to be able to fertilize a European mink female, but the foetus dies. American minks are significantly less demanding about food and habitat than the European mink, and being bigger and stronger they drive off food competitors from good territories.
Minks have populated the banks of all types of waters, even seashore pebble banks and piers. Burrows are mostly built on banks of waters; they use natural cavities, voids between tree roots, dens built by beavers or suitable spots in beaver dams.
The peak era of this mustelid with the beautiful fur coat and white under-chin patch seems to be past and in recent years they have been less often seen in nature.
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