Characteristics
 The mink has a long, sleek body about two feet long. It has short, stubby legs; a long neck; small ears and eyes and a long, thick tail. In fact, one third of the mink's length is its tail!
The American mink has brown to black fur with white fur on its chin and a little bit of white fur on its throat. Its fur is very soft and thick and covered with oily guard hairs that make the mink's coat waterproof. The mink has slightly webbed feet.
Range
 The mink can be found in most of the United States and Canada.
The American mink is found throughout New Hampshire.
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Habitat
The mink lives in forested areas that are near rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and marshes.
Diet
 The mink is a carnivore. It eats muskrats, rabbits, mice, chipmunks, fish, snakes, frogs and birds. It kills its prey by biting it on the neck. It sometimes stores extra food in its den. The mink digs its den in river banks or it finds a hollow log or an abandoned beaver or muskrat den. It never uses the same den for long.
Life Cycle
 Mating season runs January through April. The female will have a litter of three to six young in a fur-lined nest. The babies are weaned when they are five to six weeks old. The babies will stay with their mother until the fall.
Behavior
 The mink spends a lot of its time in the water hunting for food. It is a good swimmer and can dive as deep as 16 feet. Like the skunk, the mink sprays intruders with a foul-smelling liquid. Unlike the skunk, the mink can't aim its spray! When the mink is happy, it makes a purring sound like a cat. The mink is very territorial and males will fight other minks that invade their territory. The mink marks its territory with scent.
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