A litter of three to six kits is born inside the den during the spring. The kits are born hairless at birth but quickly grow hair and open their eyes after about 25 days. At five to six weeks they are weaned, but kits stay near their mother until fall.
Females stay within 30 acres of their den, which is typically in a hollow log or stump or under tree roots. Males roam twice as far and will socialize at other dens during their travels. Mink are largely crepuscular, or active near dawn and dusk, but can be active at any time of the day or night with peak activity varying by habitat, season, prey availability and predator activity.
Mink are lithe and agile animals. A mink seen sneaking around on its stomach is most likely stalking prey. Mink have few natural enemies. They are occasionally killed by coyotes , bobcats and other carnivores , but their main threat remains humans.
Mink, like most members of the weasel family , are aggressive and fearless predators. They do not hesitate to defend themselves against animals larger than themselves. Mink may be occasionally taken by birds of prey , or young in a nest may be taken by snakes , but they are agile, secretive in nature, and they blend in with their background, so they can avoid most predators.
Mink are important predators of small mammals throughout their range. The only negative affects that mink might have is the possible competition between mink and humans for water fowl or other game species. Mink pelts have for years been considered one of the most luxurious furs on the market. Originally all fur came from wild mink, causing a severe strain on the species. However, starting in the mid s, mink ranches were set up to help bring a more constant pelt supply to the market.
Ranching was very successful, with the number of mink ranches in the United States reaching a high of during the mids. While the number of ranches has declined nationally to , a total of 2.
The quality of a pelt, which affects the price, is determined by its size, color, texture and density. The biggest threat towards mink survival is the continued existence of the fur market. Forty-seven states and all Canadian provinces now have limited trapping seasons on mink, with the length of the season varying from area to area. Limits on the number of mink that can be caught have also been set in many places.
Both of these strategies allow the limited removal of mink in order that wild populations will remain constant. Another threat includes the destruction of mink habitat. Mink depend heavily on wetlands. Creating, enhancing, and maintaining such habitat allows for the continued existence of healthy populations throughout the range of the species. The presence of pollution such as mercury and hydrocarbon compounds e.
These chemicals build up within the mink's tissues and can cause problems in reproduction or even threaten the animal's life. Although they breed during their first year, some evidence suggests that first year males produce fewer pregnancies than do adults. The male and the female may take a number of mates during the mating season, which occurs between late February and early April. Mating persists through the three-week heat period, and the animals devote themselves to sexual activity and rest.
The rough-and-tumble courtship that precedes copulation often results in bruises to the neck that can be seen on the leather side of the pelt. The gestation period is not as prolonged in mink as it is in fisher. It may last from 40 to 75 days, and the average time is 51 days. This variation results from delayed implantation of the egg. Litter size also varies widely. From two to ten kits may be born to one female. The average number is four.
In April or May, the young are born in natal dens lined with grass, leaves, fur or feathers. The kits are naked except for short, fine, white hairs. Their eyes open after about 25 days, and weaning occurs within five or six weeks. By eight weeks, the kits have begun to capture their own prey. They grow rapidly, the females attaining their adult weight at four months and the males, at seven to ten months.
The young remain within the family territory until late August. Many will die before the end of their first year. Those who survive may live from three to six years. The age of trapped males can be determined by the size and weight of the baculum, or penis bone.
On a cased skin, the presence of a scar at the penis level indicates that the mink was male. Immature females can be distinguished from adult females by the teats, which are small and colourless in the young and dark and raised in the adults. Mink young, also known as kits, are born completely naked and blind, so they remain in the nest until they are weaned.
About 8 weeks after their birth, mink kits learn to hunt. The fall after they are born, the young minks will set out to find their own territories. On average, wild minks live about years, while captive minks can live as long as 10 years. Female minks are mature by the time they are 1 year old. However, male minks often take a bit longer, reaching maturity at approximately 18 months old. Minks are carnivorous mammals that stick to a diet consisting of fresh kills.
They regularly hunt prey bigger than themselves. As a result, they can be a bothersome pest for homeowners, livestock owners and property managers.
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