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What the sources say

American MinkNeogale vison

Every figure, record and mechanism on the American Mink profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 50 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Neovison vison (American mink). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysA fearless, semi-aquatic hunter
The source saysMink, like most mustelids, are aggressive and fearless predators.Note: tagline; semi-aquatic from 'The toes are partially webbed, showing the mink's semi-aquatic nature'
The page saysthat fur-farm escapes set loose in Europe and South America
The source saysAmerican mink have also been inadvertently introduced to the British Isles, where they escaped from fur farms in the 1960's.Note: tagline, Europe
The page saysForested areas close to water in North America
The source saysthey tend to frequent forested areas that are in close proximity to waterNote: stats.habitat
The page saysfrom streams, ponds and lakes with some sort of brushy or rocky cover nearby
The source saysStreams, ponds, and lakes, with some sort of brushy or rocky cover nearby are considered optimal territory.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysintroduced to the British Isles and southern South America
The source saysAmerican mink have also been inadvertently introduced to the British IslesNote: stats.habitat
The page saysCrayfish, small frogs, small mammals such as shrews, rabbits, mice and muskrats, plus fish, ducks and other water fowl
The source saysDuring the summer it consists of crayfish and small frogs, along with small mammals such as shrews, rabbits, mice, and muskrats. Fish, ducks and other water fowl provide additional food choices.Note: stats.diet
The page saysmostly mammals in winter
The source saysIn the winter, they primarily prey on mammals.Note: stats.diet
The page saysSwims up to 30 meters underwater while hunting
The source saysIn searching for food, they can swim up to 30 meters (100 feet) underwaterNote: stats.superpower
The page sayswith partially webbed toes and a waterproof coat
The source saysThe toes are partially webbedNote: stats.superpower
The page sayswith partially webbed toes and a waterproof coat
The source saysoily guard hairs that waterproof the animal's coatNote: stats.superpower
The page saysThe American mink, *Neogale vison*, is a long, slender member of the weasel family with short legs and a pointy, flat face.
The source saysThe body is long and slender with short legs and a pointy, flat face.Note: weasel family: ADW family line 'Mustelidae badgers, otters, weasels, and relatives'
The page saysIts toes are partially webbed, a sign of its semi-aquatic life.
The source saysThe toes are partially webbed, showing the mink's semi-aquatic nature.
The page saysIts fur is soft and thick, and oily guard hairs waterproof the coat.
The source saysThe fur is soft and thick, with oily guard hairs that waterproof the animal's coat
The page saysBody length is usually around 610 millimeters, about 2 feet, with up to half of that being the tail.
The source saysBody length is usually around 2 feet or 610 mm (Van Gelder 1982) with up to half of this length being the tail.
The page saysFemales are, on average, substantially smaller than males.
The source saysFemales, on average, are substantially smaller than males.
The page saysAdult females weigh 0.7 to 1.1 kilograms, while males range from 0.9 to 1.6 kilograms.
The source saysAdult females weigh between 0.7 to 1.1 kg, while males range from 0.9 to 1.6 kilograms
The page saysAcross North America
The source saysAlthough mink are found throughout North AmericaNote: replaces the old ADW 'every state except Arizona' range line (Hawaii has no mink)
The page saysthey favor forested areas close to water
The source saysthey tend to frequent forested areas that are in close proximity to water
The page saysThey are mostly active at night, especially near dawn and dusk.
The source saysThey are mostly active at night, especially near dawn and dusk.
The page saysthey can swim up to 30 meters underwater and dive to depths of 5 meters
The source saysthey can swim up to 30 meters (100 feet) underwater and dive to depths of 5 meters
The page saysLike most mustelids, they are aggressive and fearless predators.
The source saysMink, like most mustelids, are aggressive and fearless predators.
The page saysThey do not hesitate to defend themselves against animals larger than themselves.
The source saysThey do not hesitate to defend themselves against animals larger than themselves.
The page saysThey mark the edges of their home range with musky secretions from enlarged anal glands.
The source saysThey mark the boundaries of their home range using musky secretions from enlarged anal glands.
The page saysSummer meals include crayfish and small frogs, plus shrews, rabbits, mice and muskrats.
The source saysDuring the summer it consists of crayfish and small frogs, along with small mammals such as shrews, rabbits, mice, and muskrats.
The page saysFish, ducks and other water fowl provide additional food choices.
The source saysFish, ducks and other water fowl provide additional food choices.
The page saysIn winter they primarily prey on mammals.
The source saysIn the winter, they primarily prey on mammals.
The page saysFur farms opened the door.
The source sayswhere they escaped from fur farms in the 1960's
The page saysIn the British Isles, mink escaped from fur farms.
The source saysAmerican mink have also been inadvertently introduced to the British Isles, where they escaped from fur farms
The page saysAbout 100 feet, or 30 meters, is the upper end of an underwater hunting swim. A mink can also dive as deep as 5 meters.
The source saysIn searching for food, they can swim up to 30 meters (100 feet) underwater and dive to depths of 5 metersNote: FAQ 1
The page saysThey are skilled swimmers and climbers.
The source saysMink are also skilled swimmers and climbers.
The page saysThey live mostly alone, and males are particularly intolerant of one another.
The source saysMink are primarily solitary animals, with males being particularly intolerant of one another.
The page saysOily guard hairs waterproof the mink's coat
The source saysoily guard hairs that waterproof the animal's coat
The page sayssearching for food it can swim up to 30 meters underwater
The source saysIn searching for food, they can swim up to 30 meters (100 feet) underwater
The page saystags: nocturnal
The source saysThey are mostly active at night, especially near dawn and dusk.Note: task #1303; nocturnal: foraging under darkness
The page saysweightKg: 1
The source saysAdult females weigh between 0.7 to 1.1 kg, while males range from 0.9 to 1.6 kilogramsNote: task #1303; AnAge adult weight 925 g agrees; whole range sits in Light (under 10 kg)

Source
02

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

AnAge entry for Neovison vison. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysIn the wild a mink may live up to 10 years, and one in captivity may reach 11.4 years.
The source saysIn the wild, these animals may live up to 10 years [ 0542 ]. In captivity they may live 11.4 years [ 0671 ].

Source
03

Ibarra et al. 2009

Ibarra et al. (2009). Invasive American mink Mustela vison in wetlands of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, southern Chile: what are they eating? Oryx.

The page saysthat fur-farm escapes set loose in Europe and South America
The source saysimported to fur farms in southern Chile and Argentina during 1930–1950Note: tagline, South America
The page saysintroduced to the British Isles and southern South America
The source saysimported to fur farms in southern Chile and Argentina during 1930–1950Note: stats.habitat
The page saysIn southern Chile and Argentina, mink were imported to fur farms during 1930 to 1950.
The source saysimported to fur farms in southern Chile and Argentina during 1930–1950
The page saysAccidental escapes and intentional releases then led to feral populations in many areas.
The source saysAccidental escapes and intentional releases led to the establishment of feral populations in many areas of both southern Argentina
The page saysOn Navarino Island in Chile, where the native animals evolved without land predators, a study of 414 scats found a diet of mainly mammals and birds.
The source saysWe identified undigested remains in 414 scats collected from the shores of 27 ponds over January–November 2006. Diet consisted mainly of mammals and birds.Note: 'evolved without land predators' from 'where the native fauna evolved in the absence of terrestrial predators' (abstract); Navarino Island named in same abstract
The page saysBetween 1930 and 1950 mink were imported to fur farms in southern Chile and Argentina. Some escaped by accident and others were released on purpose, and feral populations became established in many areas of both countries.
The source saysimported to fur farms in southern Chile and Argentina during 1930–1950 (Jaksic et al., 2002 ). Accidental escapes and intentional releases led to the establishment of feral populations in many areas of both southern ArgentinaNote: FAQ 2
The page saysThrough fur farming.
The source saysimported to fur farms in southern Chile and Argentina during 1930–1950Note: FAQ 2 lead
The page sayswhere the native animals evolved without land predators
The source saysthe native fauna evolved in the absence of terrestrial predators

Source
04

Jónsson et al. 2023

Jónsson et al. (2023). Long-term data reveal contrasting impacts of native versus invasive nest predators in Iceland. Ecology Letters.

The page saysthe invasive American mink cut common eider nest numbers by roughly 60%
The source saysThis invasive predator heavily reduced eider nest numbers by ca. 60% in the Brokey archipelago.Note: 'common eider' from 'Icelandic common eider' in the abstract; 'roughly' for 'ca.'
The page saysIts arrival drove the eiders' population changes more than climate did.
The source saysthe arrival of the invasive semi-aquatic American mink (Neogale vison) was a more impactful driver of population dynamics than climateNote: paraphrase of 'more impactful driver of population dynamics than climate'
The page saysWest Iceland
The source saysDown collection by local families in Breiðafjörður, West Iceland, provided long-term datasets of nests from two archipelagos

Source
05

Salo et al. 2008

Salo et al. (2008). Risk induced by a native top predator reduces alien mink movements. Journal of Animal Ecology.

The page saysIn Finland's Baltic archipelago, researchers found that female mink swam shorter distances as sea eagle predation risk rose.
The source saysMink reduced their swimming distances with increasing sea eagle predation risk: for femalesNote: Finland: 'South-west Finland' in the abstract

Source
06

Reid, Schiaffini & Schipper 2016

Reid, Schiaffini & Schipper (2016). Neovison vison. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T41661A45214988.

The page saysNo. The IUCN Red List places it in its Least Concern category.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: FAQ
The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: stats; GBIF copy

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.