The mink is 1.5-2.4 feet (0.46–.73 m) in length, including its tail. It weighs up to 5 pounds (2.3 kg). It has a long, sleek body; short, stubby legs; a long neck; small ears and eyes; and a long, thick tail. In fact, one-third of the mink’s length is its tail.
The American mink has brown to black fur on its body with white fur on its chin and a little bit of white fur on its throat. Its fur is very soft and thick, and covered with oily guard hairs that make the mink’s coat waterproof. The mink has slightly webbed feet.
The mink lives in forested areas that are near rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and marshes.
The mink is a carnivore. It eats muskrats, rabbits, mice, chipmunks, fish, snakes, frogs, and birds. It kills its prey by biting it on the neck.
It sometimes stores extra food in its den. The mink digs its den in river banks, or it finds a hollow log or an abandoned beaver or muskrat den. It never uses the same den for long.
Mating season runs from January through April. The female has a litter of three to six young in a fur-lined nest. Baby minks are called kits. The kits are weaned (no longer need their mother’s milk) when they are five to six weeks old. They stay with their mother until the fall.
The American mink has a lifespan of 3-4 years in the wild. They can live to be 10 years old in captivity.
The mink spends a lot of its time in the water hunting for food. It is a good swimmer and can dive as deep as 16 feet (4.9 m).
Like skunks, the mink sprays intruders with a foul-smelling liquid. Unlike skunks, the mink can’t aim its spray. The mink also marks its territory with scent.
When the mink is happy, it makes a purring sound like a cat. The mink is very territorial, and males fight other minks that invade their territory.
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The American mink is found throughout New Hampshire.
The American mink is found from Alaska and Canada through the United States except for in Arizona and the dry parts of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and western Texas.
