Russian mink

Mustela lutreola
Mustelids (Mustelidae)

CC-BY 2.0 rights : Andrew Ives

A smooth dark coloured marten with a white chin and upper lip. The thick fur is (dark) brown coloured. The legs and tail tip are almost black. In winter they have grey underfur with long hairs extending, in summer the colour is s a little lighter. There can be some white at the neck and breast. Between the toes small webbing.

Active in the evening and night and found near streams or ponds with fish, crayfish and insects.
The nest is on river banks or under a tree or in a rock crevice, often in empty nests. 

⇔ hbl 30-43 cm, tl. 12-19 cm

syn. European mink

The species is struggling due to changing habitat, in many cases, the American mink (Neovison vison) can survive in the changed habitat. Escaped animals (from fur farms) can sometimes have different colours. 

LA:
≈ The NEOVISON VISON (American mink) misses the white upper lip, just a white chin. See photo LA. 
≈ The MUSTELA PUTORIUS (Polecat and European polecat) have a white chin and cheeks, and the fur is lighter coloured. 
≈ The LUTRA LUTRA (Otter) is much larger with a lighter coloured breast and neck.

Where?

Family(9)

WWW info

Compare

Continu searching

Size

Shape

Colour

Tail

Front leg

Social

Ability