Domestic mink (Neogale vison domesticus), also known as domestic American mink, are a domesticated, carnivorous mammal, bred for hunting and pest control. Domestic mink differ from their wild ancestors, the American mink, in fur colour, size, thicker pelts, and higher tranquility.[1] Domesticated mink come from fur farms, and are the most common animal raised for their fur, with over 50 million ones farmed annually.[2] Debate has occured whether the domestic mink is domesticated or not.
| Domestic mink | |
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Domesticated
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Genus: | Neogale |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | N. v. domesticus
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| Trinomial name | |
| Neogale vison domesticus Decuypere, 2011
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| Synonyms | |
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List
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Feral mink populations have been introduced worldwide, as several domestic mink have escaped fur farms and established themselves in the wild. Domestic mink are considered an invasive species in Europe, as they are harming several native species such as the European mink, Pyrenean desman, and water voles.[3] Female minks are called sows, males are called boars, and babies are called kits.[4][5] Domestic mink were initially placed in the genus Mustela, reclassified into Neovison in 2000, and finally Neogale in 2021.
Taxonomy
editThe domestic mink was given its trinonimal name Neogale vison domesticus (then Mustela vison f. domesticus) by Eddy Decuypere in his work Is the Mink Domesticated? from 2011.[6]
Formerly, all mink (including the sea mink) were placed in the genus Mustela. A 2000 study reclassified the domestic mink, American mink, and sea mink into the genus Neovison.[7] A 2021 study into New World weasels determined that the genus Neovison would be merged with Amazon weasel, Colombian weasels and long-tailed weasels to form the new genus Neogale.[8]
Domestication debate
editDebate has occured whether the domestic mink is a domesticated species. Several animal activists claim that the domestic mink is not domesticated, as they claim the mink are "wild animals kept in captivity".[9] Those who claim the mink is domesticated, on the other hand, support their claim by the differences fur-farmed mink has had over 50 generations.[10][9] Decuypere's study proved that the mink is domesticated depending on definition.[6]
History
editOther mustelids which have been killed for their fur include stoats (starting in the 15th century), sea mink (extinct in the 19th century), and ferrets (common from mid-19th century until the 20th century).[11]
The first records of attempts of mink farming are found around Cassadaga Lakes, New York, during the American Civil War. These attempts were made to provide soldiers with warm clothing for the winter.[12] The first mink fur farming attempts in Canada were done from around 1866 to 1887 by Patterson Bros. in Richmond, Ontario.[13] Mink farming was brought to Europe in the 1920s.[14]
Decline of mink farms
editSince 1969, the number of mink farms in the United States has dropped by 90%.[15] China's numbers have also declined at 90%, though, only this last decade.[16] During the last five years in Finland, numbers have dropped by 50%, and 83% of Finnish people voted for a mink farming ban.[17]
Characteristics
editComparison with ferrets
editDomestic mink and ferrets are closely related mustelids both of the weasel subfamily. A 1968 study concluded that while female mink eggs cannot be fertilised by ferret sperm, a female ferret's egg can be fertilised if there is a high number of mink sperm.[18] Owning a pet mink is very different from owning a ferret; mink have been domesticated for their fur, while ferrets have been domesticated as pets.[19]
Colours
editDomestic mink come in different colours due to selective breeding. Numbers have increased over the last years. In 2008, a study listed that there are 35 fur colours.[6] A 2019 study determined there are over 100 colours of mink.[20][21]
Diet
editDomestic mink are carnivores, and form part of carnivora like other mustelids. Mink are fed fish, cow, pigs, and chicken in fur farms.[22] These are parts of food that humans don't eat.[23]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "New World Weasels – Genuine Mustelids". Genuine Mustelids. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- ^ "Fur Industry". MSN Encarta. Archived from the original on 24 March 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ Hua, Yan; Xu, Yanchun (1 February 2016). "Evolutionary status of the invasive American mink (Neovison vison) revealed by complete mitochondrial genome". Mitochondrial DNA B. 1. Taylor & Francis: 6–7. doi:10.1080/23802359.2015.1137794. PMC 7799575.
- ^ "American Mink". www.zoomontana.org. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Alina Bradford (13 September 2016). "Facts About Minks". livescience.com. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Decuypere, E. "Is the Mink Domesticated?" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2017.
- ^ Abramov, A. V. (2000). "A taxonomic review of the genus Mustela (Mammalia, Carnivora)" (PDF). Zoosystematica Rossica. 8: 357–364.
- ^ Patterson, Bruce D.; Ramírez-Chaves, Héctor E.; Vilela, Júlio F.; Soares, André E. R.; Grewe, Felix (2021). "On the nomenclature of the American clade of weasels (Carnivora: Mustelidae)". Journal of Animal Diversity. 3 (2): 1–8. doi:10.52547/JAD.2021.3.2.1. ISSN 2676-685X. S2CID 236299740.
- ^ a b Fur, Alan Herscovici, Senior Researcher, Truth About (1 February 2023). "Farmed Mink Are Domesticated Animals Not Captive Wildlife". Truth About Fur - The Blog!. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Mink Can Un-Domesticate Their Brains". Popular Mechanics. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Fisher, Peter G. (31 December 2006). Bradley Bays, Teresa; Lightfoot, Teresa; Mayer, Jörg (eds.). "Ferret Behavior". Exotic Pet Behavior: 163–205. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4160-0009-9.50011-6. ISBN 978-1-4160-0009-9. PMC 7158301.
- ^ "Farmed Fur". Montana Trappers. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
- ^ Rouvinen-Watt, Kirsti; Hazlewood, Gary; Bollert, Mike (3 December 2008). "Fur Farming". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ "Invasive American mink has spread throughout Europe". Earth.com. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ Lange, Karen E. (20 June 2023). "Putting an end to the fading U.S. mink industry | The Humane Society of the United States". Humane Society. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Stone, Kristin (16 April 2024). "Alarming animal suffering and zoonotic disease risk exposed on fur farms in northern China". Humane Society International. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "Fox farming declines by almost 70% in Finland | Eurogroup for Animals". Eurogroup for Animals. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Chang, M. C. (1968). "Reciprocal insemination and egg transfer between ferrets and mink". Journal of Experimental Zoology. 168 (1): 49–59. Bibcode:1968JEZ...168...49C. doi:10.1002/jez.1401680105. PMID 5700166.
- ^ Hembree, Linsey (12 December 2023). "All About Pet Mink". Exotic Pet Wonderland. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ Thapa, Persia Carol; Do, Duy Ngoc; Manafiazar, Ghader; Miar, Younes (4 May 2023). "Coat color inheritance in American mink" (PDF). BMC Genomics. 24 (1). BioMed Central: 234. doi:10.1186/s12864-023-09348-8. PMC 10158361. PMID 37138242.
- ^ Manakhov, Andrey D.; Andreeva, Tatiana V.; Trapezov, Oleg V.; Kolchanov, Nikolay A.; Rogaev, Evgeny I. (14 March 2019). "Genome analysis identifies the mutant genes for common industrial Silverblue and Hedlund white coat colours in American mink". Scientific Reports. 9 (1). Nature Portfolio: 4581. Bibcode:2019NatSR...9.4581M. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-40918-7. PMC 6418256. PMID 30872653.
- ^ "Mink Farms: What Are Mink Farmed for and How Are Mink Killed?". 18 February 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ "Farmed Fur". www.montanatrappers.org. Retrieved 9 November 2024.