Scientific name:
Mustela nutreola

Natural spread:
North America, Europe

like so often in the biology of the type and race-formation, we admittedly find also with the mink through local separation two very narrowly used, however through the expert distinguishable types: The European mink or minks (Mustela lutreola) and the American mink, Mink or Vison (Mustela vison).

Characteristics While the European mink beside an uniformly brown fur always shows white lips and a white chin, the Mink is uniformly brown colored with sparse white stains at chin and underside. In the remaining appearance, both types resemble themselves very strongly, so also in the property of the indicated swimming-skins between the toes of the feet.

Way of life and nutrition The way of life of the minks resembles that of the ermines very much. Is they meets - and night-active. In the election of the habitat, the minks prefer the proximity of waters where they live frogs, cancers, mussels and fishings mainly from water-creatures, like Schermäusen. Also they, how much marten, more loot-animals, kill as they can eat in the moment. it makes this to unpopular food-competitors in the pond and fish-economy. However, its high extermination-installment at damaging Nagern makes the prepared damage forgotten by far. Because approximately 60 percent of its Nahrungsaufkommens exists from pure economic-pests and only approximately 20 percent from fishings, above all whitings, that not even all to the usefulness-fish is calculated.

Reproduction The Ranzzeit (heat) of the minks lies March and April in the months. After 39-48 days, or also extends by over 70 days (including germ-silence, martens), comes to the world, that becomes sexually mature already after approximately 9 months, 2 (rarely until 10) kids in April until May. In the birth still blindly, the young minks open the eyes after 30-35 days. The Säugezeit lasts 4-5 weeks. In captivity, an age was registered up to 10 years.

Continuance Both mink-types are not regarded as endangered.

Farm-mink Still finally entered shortly on a meaning of the minks, that is familiar for everyone well: the usability of the furs. Primarily Canadian farm-minks, who are bred purely in the most different color-variations, are consulted for the production of the proverbially high-quality mink-furs. The young born in May possess the sought-after winter-fur already in subsequent November and December and are called "pelzungsreif", killed normally through electric stream and body-warmly abgehäutet.