Difference between revisions of "Mink" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Mink''' is the common name for semiaquatic [[Carnivora|carnivorous]] [[mammal]]s of the two extant [[Mustelidae]] species ''Mustela lutreola'' (European mink) and ''Neovison vison'' (American mink; synonym ''Mustela vison'') and one recently extinct species, ''Neovison macrodon'' (sea mink; synonym ''Mustela macrodon''). Minks are characterized by a slender body, arched back, long neck, short ears, pointed snout, short limbs, bushy tail, and webbed feet. Minks have been valued historically for their thick and shiny [[fur]], which remains a luxury good to this day.
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'''Mink''' is the common name for semiaquatic [[Carnivora|carnivorous]] [[mammal]]s of the two extant [[Mustelidae]] species ''Mustela lutreola'' (European mink) and ''Neovison vison'' (American mink; synonym ''Mustela vison'') and one recently extinct species, ''Neovison macrodon'' (sea mink; synonym ''Mustela macrodon''). Minks are characterized by a slender body, arched back, long neck, short ears, pointed snout, short limbs, bushy tail, and webbed feet.  
 
 
  
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Minks have been valued historically for their thick and shiny [[fur]], which remains a luxury good to this day, used in clothing such as coats and jackets. Hunting and trapping of wild mink has given rise to large-scale farming. On the one hand, this farming is viewed as relieving over-harvesting pressures on wild populations. The sea mink, for example, was hunted to [[extinction]], largely as a result of the competitive fur trade (Day 1981). However, on the other hand, the treatment of minks on fur farms remains a focus of animal welfare activism.
  
The American Mink's [[fur]] has been highly prized for its use in [[clothing]], with [[hunting]] giving way to large-scale mink [[fur farming|farming]]. Its treatment has also been a focus of [[animal welfare]] [[activism]].
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American mink have found their way into the wild in [[Europe]] (including [[Great Britain]]) and [[South America]], after being released from mink farms, either due to escapes or by deliberate release by [[animal rights]] activists. Release of farmed mink may be misguided, as most die within two months (Hammershøj 2004) and the release of large numbers of mink in the [[ecosystem]] generally has negative environmental consequences. In Europe, American mink are believed by some to have contributed to the decline of the smaller European mink through competition. The European mink today is considered one of the most endangered [[mammal]]s in the world. Trapping is used to control and eliminate any [[feral]] American mink.  
  
American Mink  have found their way into the wild in [[Europe]] (including [[Great Britain]]) and [[South America]], after being released from mink farms by animal rights activists. American Mink are believed by some to have contributed to the decline of the less hardy European mink through competition.  Trapping is used to control and eliminate any [[feral]] American Mink.  
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In addition to the commercial and aesthetic values contributed by mink, in the wild they also offer important ecological values. These largely nocturnal predators are important components of [[food chain]]s, preying on a wide range of aquatic and waterside animals, including [[fish]], [[crayfish]], [[frog]]s, [[bird]]s, [[snake]]s, [[vole]]s, [[rabbit]]s, and waterfowl, and being consumed by such predators as [[coyote]]s, [[wolf|wolves]], and birds of prey (such as the great horned owl).  
  
 
==Overview==
 
==Overview==
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*[[Sea Mink]]  ''Neovison macrodon'' (extinct) (synonym ''Mustela macrodon'')
 
*[[Sea Mink]]  ''Neovison macrodon'' (extinct) (synonym ''Mustela macrodon'')
  
There are two living species of '''mink''', the European mink and the larger [[American mink]]. The extinct [[sea mink]] is related to the American mink, but is much larger. All three species of mink  are dark-colored, semi-[[aquatic animal|aquatic]], [[carnivorous]] [[mammal]]s. It is sometimes possible to distinguish the European and American species based on the fact that the American mink usually lacks a large white patch on its upper lip, while the European mink always possesses one. Any mink without such a patch can be identified with certainty as an American mink, but an individual with such a patch, if encountered in continental Europe, cannot be certainly identified without looking at the skeleton. The European mink always and the American mink usually has a white spot on the lower lip, which continues in broken or unbroken fashion to form ventral markings. Since each is a different shape, it is possible to recognize individuals based on these ventral patterns.  
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There are two living species of mink, the European mink and the larger [[American mink]]. The extinct [[sea mink]] is related to the American mink, but is much larger. All three species of mink  are dark-colored, semi-[[aquatic animal|aquatic]], [[carnivorous]] [[mammal]]s. It is sometimes possible to distinguish the European and American species based on the fact that the American mink usually lacks a large white patch on its upper lip, while the European mink always possesses one. Any mink without such a patch can be identified with certainty as an American mink, but an individual with such a patch, if encountered in continental Europe, cannot be certainly identified without looking at the skeleton. The European mink always and the American mink usually has a white spot on the lower lip, which continues in broken or unbroken fashion to form ventral markings. Since each is a different shape, it is possible to recognize individuals based on these ventral patterns.  
  
Taxonomies often place all three species as part of the ''Mustela'' genus, a taxonomic group that is known collectively as weasels, and includes about 17 species of animals known commonly as ermines, ferrets, minks, polecats, and weasels (ITIS 2006e). However, according to cytogenetic and biochemical data, there are significant differences between the American mink and other species listed in ''Mustela''—differences greater than that among ''Mustela'' species—and thus recent taxonomies separate the American mink into its own genus as ''Neovison vison'' (ITIS 2006a). The sea mink (''Neovison macrodon''), which is now extinct, likewise is often listed as ''Mustela macrodon'', and is listed as extinct by IUCN as ''M. macrodon'', but is similar to ''Neovison vision'', and indeed is considered by some to be conspecific with ''N. vison'' (ITIS 2006b).
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Taxonomies often place all three species as part of the ''Mustela'' genus, a taxonomic group that is known collectively as weasels, and includes about 17 species of animals known commonly as ermines, ferrets, minks, polecats, and weasels (ITIS 2006e). However, according to cytogenetic and biochemical data, there are significant differences between the American mink and other species listed in ''Mustela''—differences greater than that among ''Mustela'' species—and thus recent taxonomies separate the American mink into its own genus as ''Neovison vison'' (ITIS 2006a). The sea mink ''(Neovison macrodon)'', which is now extinct, likewise is often listed as ''Mustela macrodon'', and is listed as extinct by IUCN as ''M. macrodon'', but is similar to ''Neovison vision'', and indeed is considered by some to be conspecific with ''N. vison'' (ITIS 2006b).
  
 
Mink first entered Europe from America at the end of the [[Pleistocene]] [[Ice Age]]. The two extant species are believed to have diverged only in the last ten thousand years, and therefore remain remarkably similar in a number of ways (Birks 1984).
 
Mink first entered Europe from America at the end of the [[Pleistocene]] [[Ice Age]]. The two extant species are believed to have diverged only in the last ten thousand years, and therefore remain remarkably similar in a number of ways (Birks 1984).
  
 
==European mink==
 
==European mink==
[[Image:Nerz-drawing.jpg|thumb|left|Drawing of a European Mink]]
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[[Image:Nerz-drawing.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Drawing of a European mink]]
The '''European mink''', ''Mustela lutreola'', is a [[Europe]]an member of the [[Mustelidae]] family found in some regions of [[Spain]], [[France]], [[Romania]], [[Ukraine]], [[Estonia]], and the greater part of [[Russia]], though not found east of the [[Ural Mountains]]. Formerly it extended across all [[Europe]], reaching [[Finland]] in the north, but it is now extinct in the major part of its ancient range. It is similar in appearance to the [[American mink]].
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The '''European mink''', ''Mustela lutreola'', is a [[Europe]]an member of the [[Mustelidae]] family found in some regions of [[Spain]], [[France]], [[Romania]], [[Ukraine]], [[Estonia]], and the greater part of [[Russia]], though not found east of the [[Ural Mountains]]. Formerly it extended across all Europe, reaching [[Finland]] in the north, but it is now extinct in the major part of its ancient range. It is similar in appearance to the [[American mink]].
 
 
European Mink have slender, flexible bodies, bushy tails, and webbed paws. They have a sleek summer coat, and a darker, denser, winter coat, better suited to low temperatures. Their eyesight is generally poor, so that they rely heavily on their superior sense of smell while hunting (Birks 1984).
 
 
 
  
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European mink have slender, flexible bodies, bushy tails, and webbed paws. They have a sleek summer coat, and a darker, denser, winter coat, better suited to low temperatures. Their eyesight is generally poor, so that they rely heavily on their superior sense of smell while hunting (Birks 1984).
  
Fur also grows white over a scar and older mink tend to have more such patches, although absolute age is difficult to quantify without studying the animal from birth. In fur farms, mink are generally slaughtered after eight months, but can live several years in the wild (although mortality is high, especially among dispersing juveniles).
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In addition to having a large white patch on its upper lip and a white spot on the lower lip, fur also grows white over a scar. Older mink tend to have more such patches of white from scarring, although absolute age is difficult to quantify without studying the animal from birth. In fur farms, mink are generally slaughtered after eight months, but can live several years in the wild (although mortality is high, especially among dispersing juveniles).
  
Male European Mink are from 28-43 cm in body length, and weight about 900 grams, while the females are only slightly smaller at 30-40 cm long and 600 grams in weight. These figures are somewhat smaller than those for the American Mink. <ref name=EoM/>
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Male European mink are from 28 to 43 centimeters in body length, and weight about 900 grams, while the females are only slightly smaller at 30 to 40 centimeters long and 600 grams in weight. These sizes are somewhat smaller than those for the American mink (Birks 1984).  
  
 
====Habits and reproduction====
 
====Habits and reproduction====
European Mink are solitary animals, and live in dens close to fresh water. They range over an area of shoreline or riverbank up to four kilometres in length, and defend the territory with a combination of [[scent marking]] and physical aggression. They are [[hypercarnivore|carnivores]], and prey on a wide range of waterside animals, including fish, voles, rabbits, and waterfowl.  
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European mink are solitary animals, and live in dens close to fresh water. They range over an area of shoreline or riverbank up to four kilometers in length, and defend the territory with a combination of [[scent marking]] and physical aggression. They are [[hypercarnivore|carnivores]], and prey on a wide range of aquatic and waterside animals, including [[fish]], [[vole]]s, [[rabbit]]s, and [[waterfowl]].  
  
Between February to March, males leave their dens and travel considerable distances in search of a mate. Both males and females mate with several different individuals over the course of the season. The female gives birth to four to six naked, blind, kits after a mean gestation period of 49.66 days to 51.7 days.<ref>[http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1660932&blobtype=pdf The Gestation Period of Mink]</ref> This process may appear longer due to delayed implantation.<ref>[http://www.animalinfo.org/glossd.htm#delayed_implantation Animal Info - European Mink]</ref> The young kits are weaned at eight to ten weeks, and leave to establish their own dens at three to four months. They are sexually mature in time for the breeding season the following year.<ref name=EoM/>
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In breeding seasons, typically from February to March, males leave their dens and travel considerable distances in search of a mate. Mink are promiscuous and both males and females mate with several different individuals over the course of the season. The female gives birth to four to six naked, blind, "kits" after a average gestation period of 49.66 days to 51.7 days (Stevenson 1945). This process may appear longer due to delayed implantation. The young kits are weaned at eight to ten weeks, and leave to establish their own dens at three to four months. They are sexually mature in time for the breeding season the following year (Birks 1984).
  
 
===Conservation===
 
===Conservation===
A trend in recent years has been the release of farmed minks into the wild by animal rights activists.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} The result of the introduction of the American Mink into the wild in Europe has been disastrous for the European Mink, who occupies almost the same ecological niche but is outcompeted by the larger and better-swimming American species. Attempts are now underway to introduce the European Mink to islands too far from the continent for American Mink to swim to, in an attempt to prevent the species from becoming [[extinct]].
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The European mink is one of the most endangered [[mammal]]s in the world. The endangered western population of European mink ''Mustela lutreola'' has shown a large decline over their natural range. The species has been extinct in central Europe since the beginning of the century and the mink's range is actually fragmented into two population units: an eastern population unit ranging from the [[Urals]] and [[Estonia]] to the [[Black sea]], a population which is already subdivided into small units, and a western population. Inhabiting mainly forest brooks, the European mink occupies an intermediate semi-aquatic niche between the [[European polecat]] ''Mustela putorius'' and the [[otter]] ''Lutra lutra''.  
  
The endangered populations of European Mink ''Mustela lutreola'' have shown a large decline over 80% of their natural range and the species may be regarded as one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Although natural [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridization]] events between two native species is regarded as an exceptional event, [[Thierry Lodé]] found some hybrids, emphasizing that European Mink and [[European Polecat]]s are able to hybridize and their hybrids were fertile. <ref name=Lode>{{cite journal | author = Lodé T., Guiral G. & Peltier D.| year = 2005 | title = European mink-polecat hybridization events: hazards from natural process | journal = Journal of Heredity | volume = 96 | issue = 2 | url=http://www.url.com | pages = 1-8}}</ref>.
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A trend in recent years has been the release of farmed minks into the wild, including by animal rights activists. The result of the introduction of the American mink into the wild in Europe has been disastrous for the European mink, who occupies almost the same [[ecology|ecological]] niche but is outcompeted by the larger and better-swimming American species. Attempts are now underway to introduce the European mink to islands too far from the continent for American mink to swim to, in an attempt to safeguard the species from becoming [[extinct]].
  
The European mink is one of the most endangered [[mammal]]s in the world. The endangered western population of European mink ''Mustela lutreola'' has shown a large decline over its natural range. The species has been extinct in central Europe since the beginning of the century and the mink's range is actually fragmented into two population units: an eastern population unit ranging from the [[Urals]] and [[Estonia]] to the [[Black sea]], a population which is already subdivided into small units, and a western population. Inhabiting mainly forest brooks, the European mink occupies an intermediate semi-aquatic niche between the [[European polecat]] ''Mustela putorius'' and the [[otter]] ''Lutra lutra''.  Polecats and European mink are able to hybridize achieving  natural [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]ization events between two native species (as found by [[Lodé Thierry]]).
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Although natural [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridization]] events between two native species is regarded as an exceptional event, the European mink and [[European polecat]] are able to hybridize and their hybrids are fertile (Lodé et al. 2005).  
  
 
==American mink==
 
==American mink==
[[Image:Mink - Lower Saranac Lake.jpg|thumb|left|A wild American Mink, [[Lower Saranac Lake]].]]
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[[Image:Mink - Lower Saranac Lake.jpg|thumb|right|240px|A wild American Mink, [[Lower Saranac Lake]].]]
The '''American Mink''', ''Neovison vison'', is a [[North America]]n member of the [[Mustelidae]] family found in [[Alaska]], [[Canada]] and most of the [[United States]]. They are related to [[weasels]], [[otters]], [[European Mink]], [[wolverines]], and [[fishers]]. They were once grouped with [[skunks]] although new genetic evidence suggests skunks should be classified in a separate family [[Mephitidae]].  A domestic form of American Mink has also been raised in [[fur farm]]s for their lustrous [[fur]], which is highly esteemed. Breeders have developed a range of colors from deep black to white. A related marine species, ''[[Sea mink|Neovison macrodon]]'', was hunted to extinction in the 19th century.  
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The '''American mink''', ''Neovison vison'', is found in [[Alaska]], [[Canada]], and most of the mainland [[United States]], with a range from Florida to the [[Arctic]]. An endangered [[subspecies]], the Everglades mink ''(Mustela vison evergladensis)'', is endemic to the [[Florida Everglades]]. A domestic form of American mink has also been raised in [[fur farm]]s for their lustrous [[fur]], which is highly esteemed. Breeders have developed a range of colors from deep black to white.  
  
[[Image:Mink-mustella-vison.jpg]]
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The American mink has a long, slim body and short legs. They have partially webbed feet, which make them excellent swimmers. Their bodies are covered in glossy, thick dark brown fur. They can be found in wooded areas and fields near streams and lakes. They do not dig burrows, but instead take over dens abandoned by other animals.
  
Their long slim body is covered in glossy, thick dark brown fur with a white patch under the chin. They have short legs with partially webbed feet, which make them excellent swimmers.
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[[Image:Mink-mustella-vison.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Neovison vison'']]
They can be found in wooded areas and fields near streams and lakes. They do not dig burrows, but instead take over dens abandoned by other animals.
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Mink are semi-aquatic predators able to hunt both aquatic and terrestrial prey. They can dive under water like an otter to capture [[fish]], [[crayfish]], and [[frog]]s. They can also capture terrestrial prey like [[bird]]s, [[snake]]s, [[mouse|mice]], [[vole]]s, and [[rabbit]]s. Mink are generalist predators focusing on what ever prey is most available and easily captured. These animals are mainly active at night and do not [[hibernation|hibernate]]. Their predators include [[coyote]]s, [[Great Horned Owl]], and [[wolf|wolves]]. They are also trapped for their fur.  
  
Mink are semi aquatic predators able to hunt both aquatic and terrestrial prey.  They can dive under water like an otter to capture fish, crayfish, and frogs.  They can also capture terrestrial prey like birds, snakes, mice, voles, and rabbits.  Mink are generalist predators focusing on what ever prey is most available and easily captured. These animals are mainly active at night and do not [[hibernation|hibernate]]. Their predators include [[coyote]]s, [[Great Horned Owl]], and [[wolf|wolves]]. They are also trapped for their fur. Their numbers have been reduced due to loss of habitat, the effects of pollution on their aquatic food supply, and the mixing of domestic mink genes into the wild mink gene pool.<ref>Bowman, J., Kidd, A., Gorman, R., Schulte-Hostedde, A. 2007. "Assessing the potential for impacts by feral mink on wild mink in Canada," Biological Conservation 139: 12-18.</ref>
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The numbers of American mink in the wild have been reduced due to loss of habitat, the effects of pollution on their aquatic food supply, and the mixing of domestic mink genes into the wild mink gene pool (Bowman et al. 2007).
  
 
[[Image:MustelaVison001.JPG|thumb]]
 
[[Image:MustelaVison001.JPG|thumb]]
  
They are usually solitary animals. Mating occurs from early February through early April; males and females may have more than one partner. Females give birth to 4–5 kits per litter once a year. While mortality is extremely high in the early months of the life of the American Mink, animals that do survive the first year can live as long as three years in the wild.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} In captivity, mink can live 10–12 years.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} The mink is found in places which suit its habits throughout almost all [[North America]], from [[Florida]] to the [[Arctic]]. An endangered [[subspecies]], the Everglades Mink (''Mustela vison evergladensis''), is endemic to the [[Florida Everglades]].  
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American mink are usually solitary animals. Mating occurs from early February through early April; males and females may have more than one partner. Females give birth to 4 to 5 kits per litter once a year. While mortality is extremely high in the early months of the life of the American mink, animals that do survive the first year can live as long as three years in the wild and have been known to live 10 to 12 years in captivity.  
 
 
 
 
  
 
===Fur Farms===
 
===Fur Farms===
  
[[Image:MinkFarmWisconsin2007.jpg|thumb|left|Mink farm in Wisconsin]]
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[[Image:MinkFarmWisconsin2007.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Mink farm in Wisconsin]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
There is debate about the subject of [[fur farming]].  Many people argue that fur farming is cruel and should be eliminated completely.  Others argue that fur farming is a necessary evil, because it allegedly protects wild fur bearers from over harvest.  Before fur farming was developed many animals, like the [[sea mink]], were driven to extinction due to over harvesting them for their fur. Many other animals like the [[fur seal]], [[sea otter]], [[river otter]], and [[beaver]] had their populations drastically reduced from over harvesting. If fur farming were eliminated, the price of fur might increase. Wild fur bearing animals might again be in danger of over harvest.
 
  
A 2006 study in Denmark concluded that, due to frequent escapes from existing mink farms, “Closing mink farms may result in a crash of the free-ranging population, or alternatively it may result in the establishment of a better-adapted, truly feral population that may ultimately outnumber the population that was present before farm closures.” The study reported that more information would be necessary to determine the outcome.<ref>[http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mksg/eco/2006/00000029/00000004/art00001;jsessionid=3583b14k82sto.alice?format=print Incorporating evolutionary processes into a spatially-explicit model: exploring the consequences of mink-farm closures in Denmark by Hammershøj, Mette; Travis, Justin M. J.; Stephenson, Catriona M.]</ref> Another Danish study reported that a significant majority of the “wild” mink were mink which had escaped from fur farms. 47% had escaped within two months, 31% had escaped prior to 2 months, and 21% “may or may not have been born in nature.”<ref>[http://www2.dmu.dk/1_viden/2_Publikationer/3_Ovrige/rapporter/Phd_MHA.pdf Danish free-ranging mink populations consist mainly of farm animals: evidence from microsatellite and stable isotope analyses by Mette Hammershøj1, Cino Pertoldi, Tommy Asferg, Thomas Bach Møller & Niels Bastian Kristensen]</ref>
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The subject of [[fur farming]] is contentious. Various people argue that fur farming is cruel to the animals and should be eliminated completely. Some argue that fur farming is an acceptable enterprise, and yet others assert that it is a necessary evil, claiming that it not only provides furs for warmth but also protects wild fur bearers from over harvest. For example, before fur farming was developed, some animals, such as the [[sea mink]], were driven to [[extinction]] due to over harvesting for their fur. Many other animals, like the [[fur seal]], [[sea otter]], [[river otter]], and [[beaver]], had their populations drastically reduced from over harvesting. It is contended that if fur farming were eliminated, the price of fur might increase and wild fur bearing animals might again be in danger of over harvest.
  
In recent years, animal rights activists have also released several thousand domestic mink causing negative environmental consequences. Domestic mink, which are bred in fur farms, are different from wild mink.  Domestic mink are found to have 19.6% smaller brains, 8.1% smaller hearts, and 28.2% smaller spleens than wild mink do.<ref>Kruska, D. and Schreiber, A. 1999. "Compatative morphpmetrical and biochemical-geneic investigations in wild and ranch mink," Acta Theriologica 44, 4: 382. .</ref><ref>Kruska, D. 1996 "The effect of domestication on brain size and composition on the mink," J.Zoo.,Lond 239: 655.</ref>  Because of these physical differences, domestic mink may not be suited for life in the wild. A University of Copenhagen study found that most domestic mink that escape from fur farms die in less than two months.<ref>Hammershøj, M. 2004. "Population ecology of free-ranging American mink Mustela vison in Denmark," Thesis. University of Copenhagen.</ref>
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A 2006 study in Denmark concluded that, due to frequent escapes from existing mink farms, “Closing mink farms may result in a crash of the free-ranging population, or alternatively it may result in the establishment of a better-adapted, truly feral population that may ultimately outnumber the population that was present before farm closures” (Hammershøj et al. 2006). The study reported that more information would be necessary to determine the outcome. Evidence also has been gathered that a significant majority of the “wild” mink were mink that had escaped from fur farms, and that 47 percent had escaped within two months, 31 percent had escaped prior to 2 months, and another 21 percent may have or may not have been born in nature” (Hammershøj et al. 2004).
  
This data is contested by M. Hammershøj and M.C. Forchhammer, who studied the survival rate of escaped mink in Denmark, then compared that data to similar studies in the US and Sweden. The authors concluded that the survival rate for recently released mink is lower than for wild mink, but if mink survive at least two months, their survival rate is the same as for wild mink. The authors suggest that this is due to the rapid behavioural adaptation of the animals.<ref>[http://www2.dmu.dk/1_viden/2_Publikationer/3_Ovrige/rapporter/Phd_MHA.pdf Survival rates of free-ranging farm mink suggest quick behavioural adaptation to natural conditions]</ref> A biologist with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife commenting on a mik farm release concurs, stating that "These things will survive and reproduce as long as they have something to survive on."<ref>[http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20030829&slug=mink29m0 Freed mink attack Sultan farms]</ref>
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In recent years, animal rights activists have also released several thousand domestic mink causing negative environmental consequences. Domestic mink, which are bred in fur farms, are different from wild mink. Domestic mink are found to have 19.6 percent smaller brains, 8.1 percent smaller hearts, and 28.2 percent smaller spleens than wild mink do (Kruska and Schreiber 1999; Kurska 1996). Because of these physical differences, domestic mink may not be suited for life in the wild. A University of Copenhagen study found that most domestic mink that escape from fur farms die in less than two months (Hammershøj 2004).
  
 
[[Image:MinkCoxscove.JPG|left|thumb|Mink that escaped from a fur farm in Cox’s Cove, Newfoundland, [[Canada]]]]
 
[[Image:MinkCoxscove.JPG|left|thumb|Mink that escaped from a fur farm in Cox’s Cove, Newfoundland, [[Canada]]]]
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This data is contested by Hammershøj and Forchhammer (2004), who studied the survival rate of escaped mink in Denmark, then compared that data to similar studies in the United States and Sweden. The authors concluded that the survival rate for recently released mink is lower than for wild mink, but if mink survive at least two months, their survival rate is the same as for wild mink. The authors suggest that this is due to the rapid behavioral adaptation of the animals.
  
Domestic mink are larger than wild mink which may cause problems with the ecosystem when they escape. Mink are solitary, territorial animals and are intolerant of other mink. In times of overpopulation, mink control their own numbers by either killing each other through direct conflict or by causing weaker mink to be driven from territory until starvation sets in.<ref>Dunstone, N. 1993. "The Mink," London.</ref>  When hundreds or thousands of released domestic mink flood an ecosystem, it causes a great disturbance for the wild mink. This disturbance causes the deaths of the majority of the released mink and many of the wild mink. Most of the released and wild mink in the area die slow deaths, due to starvation, or from injuries from the unnaturally high number of mink fighting for a territory.<ref>Dunstone, N. 1993. "The Mink," London.</ref>  When a domestic mink survives long enough to reproduce, it may cause problems for the wild mink populations.<ref>Bowman, J., Kidd, A., Gorman, R., Schulte-Hostedde, A. 2007. "Assessing the potential for impacts by feral mink on wild mink in Canada," Biological Conservation 139: 12-18.</ref>  The adding of weaker domestic mink genes into wild mink populations, is believed by some, to have contributed to the decline of mink populations in Canada.<ref>Bowman, J., Kidd, A., Gorman, R., Schulte-Hostedde, A. 2007. "Assessing the potential for impacts by feral mink on wild mink in Canada," Biological Conservation 139: 12-18.</ref>
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Domestic mink are larger than wild mink, which may cause problems with the [[ecosystem]] when they escape. Mink are solitary, territorial animals and are intolerant of other mink. In times of overpopulation, mink control their own numbers by either killing each other through direct conflict or by causing weaker mink to be driven from territory until starvation sets in (Dunstone 1993). When hundreds or thousands of released domestic mink flood an ecosystem, it causes a great disturbance for the wild mink. This disturbance causes the deaths of the majority of the released mink and many of the wild mink. Most of the released and wild mink in the area die slow deaths, due to starvation, or from injuries from the unnaturally high number of mink fighting for a territory (Dunstone 1993). When a domestic mink survives long enough to reproduce, it may cause problems for the wild mink populations (Bowman et al. 2007). The adding of weaker domestic mink genes into wild mink populations, is believed by some, to have contributed to the decline of mink populations in Canada (Bowman et al. 2007).
 
 
===Feral Mink===
 
Some American Mink have established themselves in the wild in [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], [[Europe]] and [[South America]] due to escapes or intentional release by animal rights activists from [[fur farm]]s. In parts of Europe, tens of thousand were intentionally introduced by the [[Soviet Union]] over a period of several decades, to provide a new game animal for trappers, with disastrous population declines of the [[European Mink]] as result.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
 
  
The larger American male will mate with European Mink females earlier in the spring than the males of the same species; no offspring are born, but the females do not then breed again that season.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} This is believed by some, to have contributed to the decline of the European Mink. American Mink have also been implicated in the decline of the [[Water Vole]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and linked to the decline of water fowl across their range in Europe. They are now considered vermin in much of Europe and are hunted for the purpose of [[wildlife management]].{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
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===Feral mink===
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Some American mink have established themselves in the wild in [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], [[Europe]], and [[South America]] due to escapes or intentional release by animal rights activists from [[fur farm]]s. In parts of Europe, tens of thousand were intentionally introduced by the [[Soviet Union]] over a period of several decades, to provide a new game animal for trappers, with disastrous population declines of the [[European mink]] as result.
  
===Mink intelligence===
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The larger American male will mate with European mink females earlier in the spring than the males of the same species; no offspring are born, but the females are believed to not breed again that season. This is believed by some, to have contributed to the decline of the European mink.  
Like their cousins, the [[otters]], mink are very playful. They are very inquisitive, highly intelligent animals.  A study was performed that compared the learning ability of mink to [[ferret]]s, skunks, and house cats.<ref>Barbara A. Doty, C. Neal Jones and Larry A. Doty "Learning-Set Formation by Mink, Ferrets, Skunks,and Cats".</ref> The animals were tested on their ability to remember different shapes.  The order of ability of remembering these different shapes were from best to worst; mink, ferrets, skunks and cats. Mink were in fact found to be more intelligent than certain groups of primates. After considerable training, mink were also found to learn after only one trial. This is a phenomenon usually only observed in higher primates.
 
  
 
===Mink as pets===
 
===Mink as pets===
 
[[Image:Snappemat.gif|thumb]]
 
[[Image:Snappemat.gif|thumb]]
  
Despite the fact that they are inquisitive, playful and cute, mink do not make good pets for the average person because they have strong jaws, very sharp teeth, can be highly aggressive, and are very active. Most people do not have the knowledge, or the patience to properly care for a pet mink.  
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Despite the fact that they are inquisitive, playful and cute, mink do not make good pets for the average person because they have strong jaws, very sharp teeth, can be highly aggressive, and are very active. Most people do not have the knowledge, or the patience to properly care for a pet mink.  
  
Even though domestic mink have been bred in captivity for around a hundred years, they have not been bred to be tame. Domestic mink have been bred for size, fur quality, and color. However, the Fur Commission of the US claims that "mink are truly domesticated animals" based on the number of years they have been kept on fur farms.<ref>[http://www.furcommission.com/resource/Resources/MFIUS.pdf Mink Farming in the United States]</ref>
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Even though domestic mink have been bred in captivity for around a hundred years, they have not been bred to be tame. Domestic mink have been bred for size, fur quality, and color. However, the Fur Commission of the USA claims that "mink are truly domesticated animals" based on the number of years they have been kept on fur farms (FCUSA 2007).
  
The belief that mink are completely untameable is not true ether. Mink can be tamed and kept as  pets, but it is a difficult process. Individuals with lots of time, patience, and experience with wild animals, have successfully kept mink as pets.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
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The belief that mink are completely untameable is not true ether. Mink can be tamed and kept as  pets, but it is a difficult process. Individuals with lots of time, patience, and experience with wild animals, have successfully kept mink as pets.
  
 
==Sea mink==
 
==Sea mink==
The '''sea mink''', ''Neovison macrodon'', is an extinct [[North America]]n member of the [[Mustelidae]] family. It is the only [[mustelid]], and one of two [[Carnivora|mammalian carnivore]] species to have gone extinct in historic times, along with the [[Falkland Island Fox]]. It was significantly longer than the closely related [[American Mink]] (''N. vison''), and also larger and fatter, leading to a pelt that was around twice the size. The longest specimen recorded was said to be 82.6cm (32.5 in). The fur of the Sea Mink was said to be coarser and redder than the American Mink's, and give off a distinctive odour.<ref name="day">{{cite book
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The '''sea mink''', ''Neovison macrodon'', is an extinct [[North America]]n member of the [[Mustelidae]] family. It is the only [[mustelid]], and one of two [[Carnivora|mammalian carnivore]] species to have gone extinct in historic times, along with the [[Falkland Island Fox]]. It was significantly longer than the closely related [[American mink]] ''(N. vison)'', and also larger and fatter, leading to a pelt that was around twice the size. The longest specimen recorded was said to be 82.6 centimeters (32.5 inches) in length. The fur of the sea mink was said to be coarser and redder than the American mink's, and give off a distinctive odor (Day 1981).
  | last = Day
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  | first = David
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The sea mink was found along the rocky coasts of [[New England]] and [[Atlantic Canada]], as far north as [[Nova Scotia]]. It was not a truly marine species, being confined to coastal waters. Although well known to fur hunters, it became extinct before being scientifically described, and therefore little is known about its habits. Existing data suggests it was nocturnal and solitary (Maas 2007). The sea mink is sometimes considered to have been a subspecies of the American mink, in which case the name ''Neovison vison macrodon'' is used.
  | title = The Encyclopedia of Vanished Species
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  | publisher = Universal Books Ltd
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Due to its highly-prized [[fur]], it was hunted to [[extinction]]. The animal's remains are often found in [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] shell-heaps on the coasts of the islands of [[Maine]], but while indigenous hunting may have had some contribution to the sea mink's decline, it was the competitive European fur trade that is considered to have led to its extinction (Day 1981). Another possible contributing factor may have been the extinction of the [[Labrador duck]], with which it co-existed, and which may have been a prey item.
  | date=  1981
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  | location = London
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The last known member of the species was said to have been captured in  [[New Brunswick]], New Jersey in 1894, although there is some debate if this was a specimen of ''N. macrodon'' or ''N. vison''. The last substantiated report has led to an estimated extinction date of around 1860 (Maas 2007), although a specimen was reported as sold to a fur-buyer in Maine in 1880 (Day 1981).
  | pages = p220
 
  | isbn = 0-947889-30-2}}</ref>
 
  
It was found along the rocky coasts of [[New England]] and [[Atlantic Canada]], as far north as [[Nova Scotia]]. It was not a truly marine species, being confined to coastal waters. The [[Labrador Duck]], with which it co-existed, may have been a prey item; the extinction of the duck may have in turn contributed to the mink's.{{Fact|date=November 2007}}
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==References==
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* Birks, J. 1984. Mink. Pages 116-117 in D. Macdonald (ed.), ''The Encyclopedia of Mammals''. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0871968711.
  
Due to its highly-prized [[fur]], it was hunted to [[extinction]]. The animal's remains are often found in [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] shell-heaps on the coasts of the islands of [[Maine]], but while indigenous hunting may have had some contribution to the Sea Mink's decline, it was the competitive European fur trade that led to its extinction.<ref name="day"/>
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* Bowman, J., A. Kidd, R. Gorman, and A. Schulte-Hostedde. 2007. Assessing the potential for impacts by feral mink on wild mink in Canada. ''Biological Conservation'' 139: 12-18.
  
The last known member of the species was said to have been captured in  [[New Brunswick]], New Jersey in 1894, although there is some debate if this was a specimen of ''N. macrodon'' or ''N. vison''. The last substantiated report has led to an estimated extinction date of around 1860,<ref name="extweb">{{cite web
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* Day, D. 1981. ''The Encyclopedia of Vanished Species''. London: Universal Books. ISBN 0947889302.  
  | last = Maas
 
  | first = Peter
 
  | title = Sea Mink
 
  | work = The Extinction Website
 
  | date=  2007
 
  | url = http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct/speciesinfo/seamink.htm
 
  | accessdate =  2007-10-14}}</ref> although a specimen was reported as sold to a fur-buyer in Maine in 1880.<ref name="day"/>
 
  
Although well known to fur hunters, it became extinct before being scientifically described, and therefore little is known about its habits. Existing data suggests it was nocturnal and solitary.<ref name="extweb"/>
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* Dunstone, N. 1993. ''The Mink''. London: T. & A.D. Poyser. ISBN 0856610801.  
  
The Sea Mink is sometimes considered to have been a subspecies of the American Mink, in which case the name ''Neovison vison macrodon'' is used.
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* Fur Commission USA (FCUSA). 2007. [http://www.furcommission.com/resource/Resources/MFIUS.pdf Mink farming in the United States]. ''Fur Commission USA''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  
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* Hammershøj, M. 2004. [http://www2.dmu.dk/1_viden/2_Publikationer/3_Ovrige/rapporter/Phd_MHA.pdf ''Population Ecology of Free-ranging American Mink ''Mustela vison'' in Denmark'']. Ph.D. Thesis. National Environmental Research Institute. ISBN 8777728017.
  
==References==
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* Hammershøj, M., J. M. J. Travis, and C. M. Stephenson. 2006. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mksg/eco/2006/00000029/00000004/art00001;jsessionid=3583b14k82sto.alice?format=print Incorporating evolutionary processes into a spatially-explicit model: exploring the consequences of mink-farm closures in Denmark]. ''Ecography'' 29(4): 465-476. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  
. <ref name=EoM>{{cite book |editor=Macdonald, D.|author= Birks, J.|year=1984 |title= The Encyclopedia of Mammals|publisher= Facts on File|location=New York|pages= 116-117|isbn= 0-87196-871-1}}</ref>
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*  Hammershøj, M., C. Pertoldi, T. Asferg, T. B. Møller, and N. B. Kristensen. 2004. [http://www2.dmu.dk/1_viden/2_Publikationer/3_Ovrige/rapporter/Phd_MHA.pdf Danish free-ranging mink populations consist mainly of farm animals: evidence from microsatellite and stable isotope analyses]. Article II (p. 26) in M. Hammershøj, ''Population Ecology of Free-ranging American Mink ''Mustela vison'' in Denmark''. Ph.D. Thesis. National Environmental Research Institute. ISBN 8777728017.
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* Hammershøj, M., and M. C. Forchhammer. 2004. [http://www2.dmu.dk/1_viden/2_Publikationer/3_Ovrige/rapporter/Phd_MHA.pdf Survival rates of free-ranging farm mink suggest quick behavioural adaptation to natural conditions]. Article III (p. 27) in M. Hammershøj, ''Population Ecology of Free-ranging American Mink ''Mustela vison'' in Denmark''. Ph.D. Thesis. National Environmental Research Institute. ISBN 8777728017.
  
 
* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006a. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=726247 ''Neovison'' Baryshnikov and Abramov, 1997]. ''ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 726247''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
 
* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006a. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=726247 ''Neovison'' Baryshnikov and Abramov, 1997]. ''ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 726247''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
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* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006c. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=726284 ''Neovison vison'' (Schreber, 1777)]. ''ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 726284''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
 
* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006c. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=726284 ''Neovison vison'' (Schreber, 1777)]. ''ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 726284''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  
* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006d. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=621951 ''Mustela lutreola'' (Linnaeus, 1761)]. ''ITIS  
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* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006d. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=621951 ''Mustela lutreola'' (Linnaeus, 1761)]. ''ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 621951''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
Taxonomic Serial No.: 621951''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
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* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006e. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=180552 ''Mustela'' Linnaeus, 1758]. ''ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 180552''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  
* Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006e. [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=180552 ''Mustela'' Linnaeus, 1758]. ''ITIS
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* Kruska, D. 1996. The effect of domestication on brain size and composition on the mink. ''J.Zoo., Lond'' 239: 655.  
Taxonomic Serial No.: 180552''. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
 
  
{{reflist}}
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* Kruska, D., and A. Schreiber. 1999. Comparative morphometrical and biochemical-genetic investigations in wild and ranch mink. ''Acta Theriologica''44 (4): 382.
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=Mustelid Specialist Group|year=1996|id=14018|title=Mustela lutreola|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Listed as Endangered (EN A1ace v2.3)
 
* De Jongh A.W.J.J., Tokar G.A., Matvyeyev A.S., De Jong Tj. & E.V. de Jongh-Nesterko (''in press''). European mink (''Mustela lutreola'') still surviving in Ukrainian delta’s of Danube and Dniester. Lutra.
 
  
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=Mustelid Specialist Group|year=1996|id=41661|title=Neovison vison|downloaded=12 May 2006}}
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* Lodé, T., G. Guiral, and D. Peltier. 2005. European mink-polecat hybridization events: Hazards from natural process. ''Journal of Heredity'' 96(2): 1-8.  
*P. Hellsetde, E. Kallio & I. Hanski. "Survival rate of captive-born released Least weasels in Southern Finland." Mammal Review, 2000, 30:3/4
 
*Kruska, D. and Schreiber, A. (1999) "Compatative morphpmetrical and biochemical-geneic investigations in wild and ranch mink." ''Acta Theriologica'' 44 (4): 382.  
 
*Kruska, D. (1996) "The effect of domestication on brain size and composition on the mink." ''J.Zoo.'',Lond 239: 655. 
 
*Hammershøj, M. (2004) "Population ecology of free-ranging American mink Mustela vison in Denmark." Thesis. University of Copenhagen
 
*Dunstone, N. (1993)  ''The Mink''. London.
 
*Bowman, J., Kidd, A., Gorman, R., Schulte-Hostedde, A. (2007) "Assessing the potential for impacts by feral mink on wild mink in Canada." ''Biological Conservation'' 139: 12-18.
 
  
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=Mustelid, Viverrid &  Procyonid Specialist Group|year=2002|id=40784|title=Neovison macrodon|downloaded=11 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as extinct
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* Maas, P. 2007. Sea mink. ''The Extinction Website''.
  
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* Stevenson, W. J. 1945. [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1660932&blobtype=pdf The gestation period of mink]. ''Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine'' 9(2): 28-39. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  
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[[Category:Life sciences]]
 
[[Category:Life sciences]]
 
[[Category:Animals]]
 
[[Category:Animals]]

Latest revision as of 11:06, 10 March 2023

Mink
European Mink (Mustela lutreola)
European Mink (Mustela lutreola)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Neovison and Mustela
Species

Neovison vison
Neovison macrodon
Mustela lutreola

Mink is the common name for semiaquatic carnivorous mammals of the two extant Mustelidae species Mustela lutreola (European mink) and Neovison vison (American mink; synonym Mustela vison) and one recently extinct species, Neovison macrodon (sea mink; synonym Mustela macrodon). Minks are characterized by a slender body, arched back, long neck, short ears, pointed snout, short limbs, bushy tail, and webbed feet.

Minks have been valued historically for their thick and shiny fur, which remains a luxury good to this day, used in clothing such as coats and jackets. Hunting and trapping of wild mink has given rise to large-scale farming. On the one hand, this farming is viewed as relieving over-harvesting pressures on wild populations. The sea mink, for example, was hunted to extinction, largely as a result of the competitive fur trade (Day 1981). However, on the other hand, the treatment of minks on fur farms remains a focus of animal welfare activism.

American mink have found their way into the wild in Europe (including Great Britain) and South America, after being released from mink farms, either due to escapes or by deliberate release by animal rights activists. Release of farmed mink may be misguided, as most die within two months (Hammershøj 2004) and the release of large numbers of mink in the ecosystem generally has negative environmental consequences. In Europe, American mink are believed by some to have contributed to the decline of the smaller European mink through competition. The European mink today is considered one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Trapping is used to control and eliminate any feral American mink.

In addition to the commercial and aesthetic values contributed by mink, in the wild they also offer important ecological values. These largely nocturnal predators are important components of food chains, preying on a wide range of aquatic and waterside animals, including fish, crayfish, frogs, birds, snakes, voles, rabbits, and waterfowl, and being consumed by such predators as coyotes, wolves, and birds of prey (such as the great horned owl).

Overview

Minks are members of the Mustelidae family of the mammalian order Carnivora. The Mustelidae family includes 55 species of weasels, badgers, and otters), placed in 24 genera. This "weasel family" is a diverse family and the largest in the order Carnivora, at least partly because it has in the past been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa. Within a large range of variation, the mustelids exhibit some common characteristics. They are typically small animals with short legs, short round ears, and thick fur.

The common name "mink" is applied to three species within Mustelidae:

  • European Mink Mustela lutreola
  • American Mink Neovison vison (synonym Mustela vison)
  • Sea Mink Neovison macrodon (extinct) (synonym Mustela macrodon)

There are two living species of mink, the European mink and the larger American mink. The extinct sea mink is related to the American mink, but is much larger. All three species of mink are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals. It is sometimes possible to distinguish the European and American species based on the fact that the American mink usually lacks a large white patch on its upper lip, while the European mink always possesses one. Any mink without such a patch can be identified with certainty as an American mink, but an individual with such a patch, if encountered in continental Europe, cannot be certainly identified without looking at the skeleton. The European mink always and the American mink usually has a white spot on the lower lip, which continues in broken or unbroken fashion to form ventral markings. Since each is a different shape, it is possible to recognize individuals based on these ventral patterns.

Taxonomies often place all three species as part of the Mustela genus, a taxonomic group that is known collectively as weasels, and includes about 17 species of animals known commonly as ermines, ferrets, minks, polecats, and weasels (ITIS 2006e). However, according to cytogenetic and biochemical data, there are significant differences between the American mink and other species listed in Mustela—differences greater than that among Mustela species—and thus recent taxonomies separate the American mink into its own genus as Neovison vison (ITIS 2006a). The sea mink (Neovison macrodon), which is now extinct, likewise is often listed as Mustela macrodon, and is listed as extinct by IUCN as M. macrodon, but is similar to Neovison vision, and indeed is considered by some to be conspecific with N. vison (ITIS 2006b).

Mink first entered Europe from America at the end of the Pleistocene Ice Age. The two extant species are believed to have diverged only in the last ten thousand years, and therefore remain remarkably similar in a number of ways (Birks 1984).

European mink

Drawing of a European mink

The European mink, Mustela lutreola, is a European member of the Mustelidae family found in some regions of Spain, France, Romania, Ukraine, Estonia, and the greater part of Russia, though not found east of the Ural Mountains. Formerly it extended across all Europe, reaching Finland in the north, but it is now extinct in the major part of its ancient range. It is similar in appearance to the American mink.

European mink have slender, flexible bodies, bushy tails, and webbed paws. They have a sleek summer coat, and a darker, denser, winter coat, better suited to low temperatures. Their eyesight is generally poor, so that they rely heavily on their superior sense of smell while hunting (Birks 1984).

In addition to having a large white patch on its upper lip and a white spot on the lower lip, fur also grows white over a scar. Older mink tend to have more such patches of white from scarring, although absolute age is difficult to quantify without studying the animal from birth. In fur farms, mink are generally slaughtered after eight months, but can live several years in the wild (although mortality is high, especially among dispersing juveniles).

Male European mink are from 28 to 43 centimeters in body length, and weight about 900 grams, while the females are only slightly smaller at 30 to 40 centimeters long and 600 grams in weight. These sizes are somewhat smaller than those for the American mink (Birks 1984).

Habits and reproduction

European mink are solitary animals, and live in dens close to fresh water. They range over an area of shoreline or riverbank up to four kilometers in length, and defend the territory with a combination of scent marking and physical aggression. They are carnivores, and prey on a wide range of aquatic and waterside animals, including fish, voles, rabbits, and waterfowl.

In breeding seasons, typically from February to March, males leave their dens and travel considerable distances in search of a mate. Mink are promiscuous and both males and females mate with several different individuals over the course of the season. The female gives birth to four to six naked, blind, "kits" after a average gestation period of 49.66 days to 51.7 days (Stevenson 1945). This process may appear longer due to delayed implantation. The young kits are weaned at eight to ten weeks, and leave to establish their own dens at three to four months. They are sexually mature in time for the breeding season the following year (Birks 1984).

Conservation

The European mink is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. The endangered western population of European mink Mustela lutreola has shown a large decline over their natural range. The species has been extinct in central Europe since the beginning of the century and the mink's range is actually fragmented into two population units: an eastern population unit ranging from the Urals and Estonia to the Black sea, a population which is already subdivided into small units, and a western population. Inhabiting mainly forest brooks, the European mink occupies an intermediate semi-aquatic niche between the European polecat Mustela putorius and the otter Lutra lutra.

A trend in recent years has been the release of farmed minks into the wild, including by animal rights activists. The result of the introduction of the American mink into the wild in Europe has been disastrous for the European mink, who occupies almost the same ecological niche but is outcompeted by the larger and better-swimming American species. Attempts are now underway to introduce the European mink to islands too far from the continent for American mink to swim to, in an attempt to safeguard the species from becoming extinct.

Although natural hybridization events between two native species is regarded as an exceptional event, the European mink and European polecat are able to hybridize and their hybrids are fertile (Lodé et al. 2005).

American mink

A wild American Mink, Lower Saranac Lake.

The American mink, Neovison vison, is found in Alaska, Canada, and most of the mainland United States, with a range from Florida to the Arctic. An endangered subspecies, the Everglades mink (Mustela vison evergladensis), is endemic to the Florida Everglades. A domestic form of American mink has also been raised in fur farms for their lustrous fur, which is highly esteemed. Breeders have developed a range of colors from deep black to white.

The American mink has a long, slim body and short legs. They have partially webbed feet, which make them excellent swimmers. Their bodies are covered in glossy, thick dark brown fur. They can be found in wooded areas and fields near streams and lakes. They do not dig burrows, but instead take over dens abandoned by other animals.

Neovison vison

Mink are semi-aquatic predators able to hunt both aquatic and terrestrial prey. They can dive under water like an otter to capture fish, crayfish, and frogs. They can also capture terrestrial prey like birds, snakes, mice, voles, and rabbits. Mink are generalist predators focusing on what ever prey is most available and easily captured. These animals are mainly active at night and do not hibernate. Their predators include coyotes, Great Horned Owl, and wolves. They are also trapped for their fur.

The numbers of American mink in the wild have been reduced due to loss of habitat, the effects of pollution on their aquatic food supply, and the mixing of domestic mink genes into the wild mink gene pool (Bowman et al. 2007).

MustelaVison001.JPG

American mink are usually solitary animals. Mating occurs from early February through early April; males and females may have more than one partner. Females give birth to 4 to 5 kits per litter once a year. While mortality is extremely high in the early months of the life of the American mink, animals that do survive the first year can live as long as three years in the wild and have been known to live 10 to 12 years in captivity.

Fur Farms

Mink farm in Wisconsin

The subject of fur farming is contentious. Various people argue that fur farming is cruel to the animals and should be eliminated completely. Some argue that fur farming is an acceptable enterprise, and yet others assert that it is a necessary evil, claiming that it not only provides furs for warmth but also protects wild fur bearers from over harvest. For example, before fur farming was developed, some animals, such as the sea mink, were driven to extinction due to over harvesting for their fur. Many other animals, like the fur seal, sea otter, river otter, and beaver, had their populations drastically reduced from over harvesting. It is contended that if fur farming were eliminated, the price of fur might increase and wild fur bearing animals might again be in danger of over harvest.

A 2006 study in Denmark concluded that, due to frequent escapes from existing mink farms, “Closing mink farms may result in a crash of the free-ranging population, or alternatively it may result in the establishment of a better-adapted, truly feral population that may ultimately outnumber the population that was present before farm closures” (Hammershøj et al. 2006). The study reported that more information would be necessary to determine the outcome. Evidence also has been gathered that a significant majority of the “wild” mink were mink that had escaped from fur farms, and that 47 percent had escaped within two months, 31 percent had escaped prior to 2 months, and another 21 percent may have or may not have been born in nature” (Hammershøj et al. 2004).

In recent years, animal rights activists have also released several thousand domestic mink causing negative environmental consequences. Domestic mink, which are bred in fur farms, are different from wild mink. Domestic mink are found to have 19.6 percent smaller brains, 8.1 percent smaller hearts, and 28.2 percent smaller spleens than wild mink do (Kruska and Schreiber 1999; Kurska 1996). Because of these physical differences, domestic mink may not be suited for life in the wild. A University of Copenhagen study found that most domestic mink that escape from fur farms die in less than two months (Hammershøj 2004).

Mink that escaped from a fur farm in Cox’s Cove, Newfoundland, Canada

This data is contested by Hammershøj and Forchhammer (2004), who studied the survival rate of escaped mink in Denmark, then compared that data to similar studies in the United States and Sweden. The authors concluded that the survival rate for recently released mink is lower than for wild mink, but if mink survive at least two months, their survival rate is the same as for wild mink. The authors suggest that this is due to the rapid behavioral adaptation of the animals.

Domestic mink are larger than wild mink, which may cause problems with the ecosystem when they escape. Mink are solitary, territorial animals and are intolerant of other mink. In times of overpopulation, mink control their own numbers by either killing each other through direct conflict or by causing weaker mink to be driven from territory until starvation sets in (Dunstone 1993). When hundreds or thousands of released domestic mink flood an ecosystem, it causes a great disturbance for the wild mink. This disturbance causes the deaths of the majority of the released mink and many of the wild mink. Most of the released and wild mink in the area die slow deaths, due to starvation, or from injuries from the unnaturally high number of mink fighting for a territory (Dunstone 1993). When a domestic mink survives long enough to reproduce, it may cause problems for the wild mink populations (Bowman et al. 2007). The adding of weaker domestic mink genes into wild mink populations, is believed by some, to have contributed to the decline of mink populations in Canada (Bowman et al. 2007).

Feral mink

Some American mink have established themselves in the wild in Newfoundland, Europe, and South America due to escapes or intentional release by animal rights activists from fur farms. In parts of Europe, tens of thousand were intentionally introduced by the Soviet Union over a period of several decades, to provide a new game animal for trappers, with disastrous population declines of the European mink as result.

The larger American male will mate with European mink females earlier in the spring than the males of the same species; no offspring are born, but the females are believed to not breed again that season. This is believed by some, to have contributed to the decline of the European mink.

Mink as pets

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Despite the fact that they are inquisitive, playful and cute, mink do not make good pets for the average person because they have strong jaws, very sharp teeth, can be highly aggressive, and are very active. Most people do not have the knowledge, or the patience to properly care for a pet mink.

Even though domestic mink have been bred in captivity for around a hundred years, they have not been bred to be tame. Domestic mink have been bred for size, fur quality, and color. However, the Fur Commission of the USA claims that "mink are truly domesticated animals" based on the number of years they have been kept on fur farms (FCUSA 2007).

The belief that mink are completely untameable is not true ether. Mink can be tamed and kept as pets, but it is a difficult process. Individuals with lots of time, patience, and experience with wild animals, have successfully kept mink as pets.

Sea mink

The sea mink, Neovison macrodon, is an extinct North American member of the Mustelidae family. It is the only mustelid, and one of two mammalian carnivore species to have gone extinct in historic times, along with the Falkland Island Fox. It was significantly longer than the closely related American mink (N. vison), and also larger and fatter, leading to a pelt that was around twice the size. The longest specimen recorded was said to be 82.6 centimeters (32.5 inches) in length. The fur of the sea mink was said to be coarser and redder than the American mink's, and give off a distinctive odor (Day 1981).

The sea mink was found along the rocky coasts of New England and Atlantic Canada, as far north as Nova Scotia. It was not a truly marine species, being confined to coastal waters. Although well known to fur hunters, it became extinct before being scientifically described, and therefore little is known about its habits. Existing data suggests it was nocturnal and solitary (Maas 2007). The sea mink is sometimes considered to have been a subspecies of the American mink, in which case the name Neovison vison macrodon is used.

Due to its highly-prized fur, it was hunted to extinction. The animal's remains are often found in Native American shell-heaps on the coasts of the islands of Maine, but while indigenous hunting may have had some contribution to the sea mink's decline, it was the competitive European fur trade that is considered to have led to its extinction (Day 1981). Another possible contributing factor may have been the extinction of the Labrador duck, with which it co-existed, and which may have been a prey item.

The last known member of the species was said to have been captured in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1894, although there is some debate if this was a specimen of N. macrodon or N. vison. The last substantiated report has led to an estimated extinction date of around 1860 (Maas 2007), although a specimen was reported as sold to a fur-buyer in Maine in 1880 (Day 1981).

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Birks, J. 1984. Mink. Pages 116-117 in D. Macdonald (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0871968711.
  • Bowman, J., A. Kidd, R. Gorman, and A. Schulte-Hostedde. 2007. Assessing the potential for impacts by feral mink on wild mink in Canada. Biological Conservation 139: 12-18.
  • Day, D. 1981. The Encyclopedia of Vanished Species. London: Universal Books. ISBN 0947889302.
  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). 2006e. Mustela Linnaeus, 1758. ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.: 180552. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  • Kruska, D. 1996. The effect of domestication on brain size and composition on the mink. J.Zoo., Lond 239: 655.
  • Kruska, D., and A. Schreiber. 1999. Comparative morphometrical and biochemical-genetic investigations in wild and ranch mink. Acta Theriologica44 (4): 382.
  • Lodé, T., G. Guiral, and D. Peltier. 2005. European mink-polecat hybridization events: Hazards from natural process. Journal of Heredity 96(2): 1-8.
  • Maas, P. 2007. Sea mink. The Extinction Website.

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