Mammals · Carnivora · Mustelidae

American Mink

Neovison vison

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The American mink is a semi-aquatic mustelid native to North America, farmed for fur since the early 20th century. Escapes and releases from those farms have made it one of the most damaging invasive species in Europe and southern South America. It is larger and more aggressive than the European mink, tolerates human presence better and eats almost anything: fish, waterbirds, rodents, crayfish. In Spain it is a direct threat to the European mink and to waterbird colonies.

Weight

500 g – 1.6 kg

Size

33 cm – 45 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestFreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Temperate forest Freshwater Mammal

12countries 36parks28same family

Fun facts

It is one of the most problematic invasive species in Europe, and the cause lies in the fur industry: every escape or release from a farm seeds a new wild population.
Wherever it arrives, colonies of waterbirds that breed on the ground or on islets collapse, because they never evolved defences against a predator that swims and climbs equally well.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Riverbanks, lakes, marshes and coasts of North America, and of much of Europe and South America where it has been introduced
Sexual maturity: 11 months
Gestation / incubation: 42 days
Litter / clutch size: 4.5 (average)

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neogale_vison