The American mink (Neogale vison) is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to North America, though human introduction has expanded its range to many parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. Because of range expansion, the American mink is classed as a least-concern species by the IUCN. The American mink was formerly thought to be the only extant member of the genus Neovison following the extinction of the sea mink (N. macrodon), but recent studies, followed by taxonomic authorities, have reclassified it and the sea mink within the genus Neogale, which also contains a few New World weasel species. The American mink is a carnivore that feeds on rodents, fish, crustaceans, frogs, and birds. In its introduced range in Europe it has been classified as an invasive species linked to declines in European mink, Pyrenean desman, and water vole populations. It is the animal most frequently farmed for its fur, exceeding the silver fox, sable, marten, and skunk in economic importance.
Evolution As a species, the American mink represents a more specialized form than the European mink in the direction of carnivory, as indicated by the more developed structure of the skull. Fossil records of the American mink go back as far as the Irvingtonian, though the species is uncommon among Pleistocene animals. Its fossil range corresponds with the species' current natural range. The American minks of the Pleistocene did not differ much in size or morphology from modern populations, though a slight trend toward increased size is apparent from the Irvingtonian through to the Illinoian and Wisconsinan periods.
Although superficially similar to the European mink, studies indicate the European mink's closest relative is the Siberian weasel (kolonok) of Asia. The American mink has been recorded to hybridize with European minks and polecats in captivity, though the hybrid embryos of the American and European minks are usually reabsorbed.
Subspecies , 15 subspecies are recognised:
SubspeciesTrinomial authorityDescriptionRangeSynonymsEastern or little black minkN. v. vison (Nominate subspecies)Schreber, 1777The smallest subspeciesEastern Canada, west to Hudson Bay; south in the interior to the Catskill Mountains, New York and to northern Pennsylvaniaaltaica (Ternovskii, 1958) borealis (Brass, 1911) nigrescens (Audubon and Bachman, 1854) tatarica (Popov, 1949) winingus (Baird, 1858)California lowland minkN. v. aestuarinaGinnell, 1916Resembles N. v. energumenos, but smaller and has paler, less dense furThe lowlands of west-central California; west to Petaluma and Marin CountiesAniak minkN. v. aniakensisBurns, 1964Western or Pacific minkN. v. energumenosBangs, 1896A small and dark-coloured subspecies with dark sooty-brown fur. Males measure in total length and in tail length.Western North America, from British Columbia south to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California and the Rocky Mountains in New MexicoVancouver Island minkN. v. evagorHall, 1932Everglades minkN. v. evergladensisHamilton, 1948The southern tip of FloridaAlaskan minkN. v. ingensOsgood, 1900The largest subspecies, it resembles N. v. energumenos, but is lighter in colour. Males measure in total length and in tail length.Northern, western and central Alaska; the northern Yukon and the northwestern Mackenzie Mountains; south to the Alaska Peninsula and to Fort Good HopeHudson Bay minkN. v. lacustrisPreble, 1902It has dark chocolate-brown fur above with white on the chin and irregularly distributed on the breast and between the hind legs. Males measure in total length and in tail length.The interior of Canada from Great Bear Lake and the western shores of Hudson Bay south through Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to southern North DakotaMississippi Valley minkN. v. letiferaHollister, 1913It has a light brown coat with white spots on the chin, throat and breast. Males measure in total length and in tail length.Northern Wisconsin and northern South Dakota south to northern Illinois, northern Missouri and southern KansasEast Canadian minkN. v. lowiiAnderson, 1945Atlantic salt marsh mink or Florida MinkN. v. lutensisBangs, 1898A medium-sized subspecies, it has a pale russet to clay- or reddish-brown coat. Males measure in total length and in tail length.The coasts of the southeastern United States from South Carolina to FloridaKenai minkN. v. melampeplusElliot, 1904Darker than energumenos, it has dark chocolate-coloured fur with slightly paler underparts and a white spot on the chin. Males measure in total length and in tail length.The Kenai Peninsula and Cook InletCommon minkN. v. minkPeale and Palisot de Beauvois, 1796A larger and more robust form than N. v. vison; it has similar colouration. Males measure in total length and in tail length.The Eastern United States, from the coast of New England south to North Carolina and in the interior to central Georgia and Alabama; westward through southern Pennsylvania and Ohio to Missouri and northeastern Texaslutreocephala (Harlan, 1825) rufa (Hamilton-Smith, 1858)Island minkN. v. nesolestesHeller, 1909Intermediate in size between N. v. ingens and N. v. energumenos, it has rather dark fur. The fur is Van Dyke brown, lighter on the cheeks and sides and darker on the tail. The underparts are walnut brown and white on the chin, with irregular white spots or areas on the throat, chest, inner legs and abdomen. Males measure in total length and in tail length.Admiralty Island in the Alexander ArchipelagoSouthern minkN. v. vulgivagaBangs, 1895It resembles N. v. mink, but is paler and smaller, with rich and lustrous light brown fur which darkens at the end of the tail. Males measure in total length and in tail length.The coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi
Genomics A chromosome-level genome assembly of Neogale vison was published in 2022. The gap-free assembly spans approximately 2.7 Gb, with 98.6% of the sequence assigned to 15 chromosomes, and has a BUSCO completeness score of 96.5%. It contains 25,377 predicted genes. A haplotype-resolved chromosome-scale assembly was published in 2025 from a female specimen collected in England. The two haplotypes span approximately 2.7 Gb each, with 98.7% of each haplotype assigned to 15 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X chromosome. The primary haplotype has a BUSCO completeness score of 94.9%, and genome annotation identified 19,566 predicted protein-coding genes.
Description Build
The American mink differs from members of the genus Mustela (stoats and weasels), as well as the other members of Neogale, by its larger size and stouter form, which closely approach those of martens. It shares with martens a uniformly enlarged, bushy and somewhat tapering tail, rather than a slender, cylindrical tail with an enlarged bushy tip, as is the case in stoats. The American mink is similar in build to the European mink, but the tail is longer (constituting 38–51% of its body length).
The American mink has a long body, which allows the species to enter the burrows of prey. Its streamlined shape helps it to reduce water resistance while swimming. The skull is similar to that of the European mink, but is more massive, narrower, and less elongated, with more strongly developed projections and a wider, shorter cranium. The upper molars are larger and more massive than those of the European mink. The dental formula is .
Domestic mink, which are bred in fur farms and are substandard genetically, have 19.6% smaller brains, 8.1% smaller hearts, and 28.2% smaller spleens than wild mink. The feet are broad, with webbed digits. They generally have eight nipples, with one pair of inguinal teats and three pairs of abdominal teats. The adult male's penis is long, and is covered by a sheath. The baculum is well-developed, being triangular in cross section and curved at the tip.
Males measure in body length, while females measure . The tail measures in males and in females. Weights vary with sex and season, with males being heavier than females. In winter, males weigh and females . Maximum heaviness occurs in autumn.
Fur The American mink's winter fur is denser, longer, softer, and more close-fitting than that of the European mink. The winter fur's tone is generally very dark blackish-tawny to light-tawny. Colour is evenly distributed over all the body, with the under side being only slightly lighter than the back. The guard hairs are bright and dark-tawny, often approaching black on the spine. The underfur on the back is very wavy and greyish-tawny with a bluish tint. The tail is darker than the trunk and sometimes becomes pure black on the tip. The chin and lower lip are white. Captive individuals tend to develop irregular white patches on the lower surface of their bodies, though escaped individuals from Tartaria gradually lost these patches. The summer fur is generally shorter, sparser and duller than the winter fur. The thick underfur and oily guard hairs render the pelage water-resistant, with the length of the guard hairs being intermediate between those of otters and polecats, thus indicating the American mink is incompletely adapted to an aquatic life. It moults twice a year, during spring and autumn. It does not turn white in winter. A variety of different colour mutations have arisen from experimental breeding on fur farms.
Locomotion On land, the American mink moves by a bounding gait, with speeds of up to . It also climbs trees and swims well. During swimming, the mink propels itself primarily through undulating movements of the trunk. When diving, it undergoes bradycardia, which is likely an adaptation to conserve oxygen. In warm water (), the American mink can swim for 3 hours without stopping, but in cold water it can die within 27 minutes. It generally dives to depths of for 10 seconds, though depths of 3 m lasting 60 seconds have been recorded. It typically catches fish after five- to 20-second chases.
Senses and scent glands The American mink relies heavily on sight when foraging. Its eyesight is clearer on land than underwater. Its auditory perception is high enough to detect the ultrasonic vocalisations (1–16 kHz) of rodent prey. Its sense of smell is comparatively weak. Its two anal glands are used for scent marking, either through defecation or by rubbing the anal region on the ground. The secretions of the anal glands are composed of 2,2-dimethyl thietane, 2-ethylthietane, cyclic disulfide, 3,3-dimethyl-1,2-dithiacyclopentane, and indole. When stressed, the American mink can expel the contents of its anal glands at a distance of . Scent glands may also be located on the throat and chest. The smell produced by these scent glands was described by Clinton Hart Merriam as more unbearable than that produced by skunks, and added it was "one of the few substances, of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin, that has, on land or sea, rendered me aware of the existence of the abominable sensation called nausea".
Behavior
Social and territorial behaviours