European Mink

Class: Mammals

Order: Carnivores

Family: Mustelids

Weight: 0.55 – 0.8 kg

Height: 15-20 cm

Body length: 28 – 43 cm

Coloration: The fur is uniformly colored, ranging from reddish-brown to dark brown, lighter on the underside and darker on the limbs and tail. There is a white spot on the chin, extending to the upper and lower lip. Sometimes there is also a white spot on the chest.

Age of sexual maturity: 9 months

Gestation period: Approximately 60 days

Lifespan: Up to 6-9 years

Habitat range: The historical range of the European mink extended from Finland to the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, limited to the south by the Caucasus Mountains and Northern Spain. More recently, minks have appeared in France (1839) and eastern Spain (1951).

Diet: The diet of the European mink primarily consists of small animals found in or near water bodies. This includes mice-like rodents (mainly water voles), fish (perch, minnows, tench, young pike, trout), amphibians (frogs, their eggs, and tadpoles), crayfish, aquatic insects, and mollusks.

Did you know?

• The European mink can fast for 3-4 days.
• When living near human settlements, this clever animal might visit to steal a duck or eggs from a chicken coop to avoid hunger.
• When in danger, the intelligent animal tries to flee or uses its secret weapon: it sprays the enemy with a jet of foul-smelling liquid to scare off predators.