The Sea Mink
English Name: Sea Mink
Chinese Name: 海貂
Dutch Name: Zeenerts, Zeemink
French Name: Vison de Mer, Vison des Mers, Vison Marin, Marte de Mer
German Name: Seenerz, Seemink
Italian Name: Visone Marino, Visone di Mare
Japanese Name: ウミベミンク
Portuguese Name: Vison-marinho
Spanish Name: Visón Marino
Characteristics:The Sea Mink was intitially rare and so went extinct fairly quickly. It was twice the size of the american Mink and had a bushier tail. It was built bigger in almost every other way as well. This was one of the reasons it was so prized. Because of its large size its pelt was easily twice the size of a regular minks pelt and so it fetched a much higher price. The fur of the Sea Mink was said to be coarser and redder than the American Mink's, and to give off a distinctive odor.
Range and Habitat:The Sea Mink occurred in coastal eastern North America, from Massachusetts to the Maritime Provinces and possibly Newfoundland. It was found along the rocky coasts of New England and Atlantic Canada, as far north as Nova Scotia. It was not a truly marine species, being confined to coastal waters.
This animal preferred coastal habitats, particularly rocky coasts and offshore islands. It was expectd to be a solitary and nocturnal animal.
Food The Sea Mink most likely consumed a greater proportion of seabirds, seabird eggs, and hard-bodied marine invertebrates than the American Mink (Sealfon 2007).
Extinction Causes Presumably the Native Americans of the region hunted the Sea Mink for its pelt, which may have contributed to its decline. However, the final blow that led to the extinction of the Sea Mink was caused by overhunting for the highly competitive European fur trade
The Sea Mink went extinct before it could be properly studied and cataloged so not much is truly known about the species.
Because little is known about the Sea Mink for the sake of having in depth information I'm gonna put up some information about the American Mink which was the smaller and very close cousin of the Sea MinkThe American Mink
Characteristics: The marican Mink has a long furry body with a bushy tail and slightly webbed feet which make it an excelent swimmer. Mink are semi aquatic predators able to hunt both aquatic and terrestrial prey. They can dive under water like an otter to capture fish, crayfish, and frogs. They can also capture terrestrial prey like birds, snakes, mice, voles, and rabbits. Mink are generalist predators focusing on whatever prey is most available and easily captured. These animals are mainly active at night and do not hibernate. Their predators include coyotes, Great Horned Owl, and wolves. They are also trapped for their fur. They are usually solitary animals. Mating occurs from early February through early April. and females give birth to 4-5 kits a year. The Mortality rate for young is extremely high but if they survive their first year they usually live up to 5 years in the wild.
Range and Habitat: They can be found in wooded areas and fields near streams and lakes. They do not dig burrows, but instead take over dens abandoned by other animals. The mink is found in places which suit its habits throughout almost all North America, from Florida to the Arctic.
Food: fish, crayfish, frogs, birds, snakes, mice, voles, and rabbits. Mink are generalist predators focusing on whatever prey is most available and easily captured.
Predators: Coyotes, Great Horned Owl, and wolves. And people who capture them for fur.
Mink Intelligence: Like their cousins, the otters, mink are very playful. They are very inquisitive, highly intelligent animals. A study was performed that compared the learning ability of mink to ferrets, skunks, and house cats.[12] The animals were tested on their ability to remember different shapes. The order of ability of remembering these different shapes were from best to worst; mink, ferrets, skunks and cats. Mink were in fact found to be more intelligent than certain groups of primates. After considerable training, mink were also found to learn after only one trial. This is a phenomenon usually only observed in higher primates.
General Mink Behavior: Mostly nocturnal, mink remain active year-round. Except when breeding or raising young, males and females select individual home territories which they mark with their scent glands and defend actively. Once a territory is established, most activity is restricted to within in. Denning sites are often close to water in well-maintained bank burrows abandoned by or stolen from muskrats or beavers. Other choices can include spaces under large exposed tree roots, beaver lodges, muskrat houses and hollowed-out stumps or fallen logs.
Males usually range over far larger areas than females, and often use two or more dens throughout their territory. A male mink may occupy as much as 2.5 miles of stream habitat or about 2,500 acres in wetland habitat. An adult female generally travels less and occupies about one mile of stream habitat or about 40 acres in wetland habitat. A male increases its movement greatly during the breeding season and defends its territory against other males, although the males' home ranges sometimes overlap. A male may use several dens within its range and different males may use the same den at different times.
A female defends her territory against other females and may even defend it against males at certain times of the year. She usually has one or two dens and is the only one to use them. Juveniles that have recently left the family group often use several dens until they establish their own home range, which are usually smaller than those of older mink. While a mink may be active all day long, it is most active from dusk to dawn. It is active year-round although it may remain in its den for a day or two during severe winter weather. A mink usually lives alone except during the breeding season and when young mink live with the family group until they are old enough to claim their own territories. The mink marks its territory and advertises its presence by depositing droppings and leaving its scent in prominent locations such as on flat rocks and logs.
Mink are semi-aquatic and can dive to a depth of 16 feet using their partially webbed feet for propulsion. They are also good climbers.Startled mink may squeal, hiss or snarl, and release a scent similar to a skunk, though not sprayed. This scent is also used as a marker to advertise their presence to other mink.
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