Discover Life | All Living Things | IDnature guides | Mammalia | Mustelidae | Mustela | vison

Species Description

• Adult total length: 21 - 26 in. (530 - 660 mm)

• Tail: 7 - 9 in. (175 - 225 mm)

• Hind foot: 2 1/4 - 2 3/4 in. (58 - 70 mm)

• Weight: 1 - 3 lbs. (0.5 - 1.4 kg)

• Physical Characteristics: The mink is a rich dark brown weasel with a white chin patch that may extend onto the throat and chest. The slightly bushy tail is usually never more than half the length of the body. Strong anal scent glands are present.

left lateral view of skull and mandible	dorsal view of skull	ventral view of skull

• Range Maps

  North America	Great Smokies

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Mink are not often seen in the park, although they have been recorded at all elevations. Komarek and Komarek (1938) stated that mink apparently frequent lower, more open situations in winter and retreat into the deeper forest in spring and summer to rear their young.
  • Blount Co.: Little River, 1 mile below The Sinks (1,500 feet); Cades Cove.

  • Cocke Co.: Maddron Bald Trail.

  • Sevier Co.: Little River at Tremont; Metcalf Bottoms; Sugarlands; Greenbrier; Little River above Elkmont (2,900 feet); Mt. LeConte (6,593 feet).

  • Haywood Co.: Big Creek; Cataloochee; Mt. Sterling Creek (4,000 feet).

  • Swain Co.: Along the Oconaluftee River; Cliff Branch.

Index

Natural History

• Reproduction
  Females produce a single annual litter consisting of five to eight young in April and May. Newborn young have their eyes and ears sealed and are covered with fine, silvery-white hair. The eyes open at about 37 days, weaning is at about five weeks, and the young leave the den when six to eight weeks old. Young mink remain with the female until late summer or fall when they disperse. Young mink have been recorded in the park during May, June, and July. An individual estimated to be six to eight weeks old was found near Cliff Branch on May 22, 1948. An adult and six young were observed in the Cataloochee area on June 15, 1935 ( Fleetwood, 1934-1935). On July 15, 1959, four young were observed playing together along the Little River.

• Longevity
  Wild mink probably live three to four years.

• Terrestrial Ecology
  Mink are usually solitary animals that are active during all seasons. Most activity occurs around dawn and dusk. Mink are semiaquatic mammals and are excellent swimmers and divers. They also spend a considerable amount of time on land.

  Den sites are located along the banks of streams or lakes and vary considerably. Sometimes an abandoned rabbit or muskrat burrow will be used. At other times, mink will dig their own burrow. Dens may also be located in muskrat houses, under logs or debris, or among rocks.

  Fish, crayfish, and mammals such as mice and muskrats constitute the major food items. Ducks and other waterfowl as well as amphibians and reptiles may also be consumed. On one occasion, several individuals in the Cataloochee area were seeen fighting over an eight-inch trout (Fleetwood, 1934-1935).

  The enterococcus Streptococcus faecalis was reported from fecal specimens by Mundt (1963).

• Predators and Defense
  No predators recorded from the park.

• Parasites
  None recorded from the park.

• University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology
• eNature

Index

Acknowledgements

• Text
  • Dr. Donald W. Linzey, Wytheville Community College - wclinzd@wcc.vccs.edu
  • Christy Brecht, Wytheville Community College - wcbrecc@wcc.vccs.edu

• Photographs
  • Roger Barbour

• Map development
  • Richard Schulz, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - richard_schulz@nps.gov

• Web page design & coding
  • Denise Lim, University of Georgia, Athens
  • John Pickering, University of Georgia, Athens

• Fleetwood, R. J. 1934-35. Journal of Raymond J. Fleetwood, wildlife technician, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, for the period May 27, 1934-June 27, 1935. 499 pp. (Typewritten).

• Komarek, E.V., and R. Komarek. 1938. Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Science 5(6): 137-162.

• Linscombe, G., N. Kinler and R. J. Aulerich. 1982. Mink. Pages 629-643. In: J. A. Chapman and C. A. Feldhamer (editors). Wild Mammals of North America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

• Linzey, D. W. 1995a. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc.

• Linzey, D. W. 1995b. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park-1995 Update. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 111(1):1-81.

• Mundt, J. O. 1963. Occurrence of enterococci in animals in a wild environment. Applied Microbiology 11: 136-140.

• Stupka, A. 1935-63. Nature Journal, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 28 volumes (years) each with index. (Typewritten copy in files of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.)