American Mink

Participants of the 2023 Appalachian Ecology Course caught a glimpse of an American Mink (Neogale vison) while kayaking on the Little Schuylkill River. Its furry face was visible for only a moment before it retreated from the streambank and deeper into Sanctuary property. Mink are relatively common throughout Pennsylvania and most of North America, but are masters of stealth and often go unseen. A medium-sized member of the weasel family, mink are semi-aquatic and use their swimming skills to predate fish, frogs, muskrats, crustaceans, and insects, along with terrestrial small mammals. They can be found in wetland habitats, mainly freshwater streams, ponds, and rivers.

Photo by Bill Moses.