Domestic mink
Domestic mink 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. Domesticated mink come from fur farms, and are the most common animal raised for their fur, with over 50 million farmed annually. Debate has occurred whether the domestic mink is domesticated or not.
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. Female minks are called sows, males are called boars, and babies are called kits. Domestic mink were initially placed in the genus Mustela, reclassified into Neovison in 2000, and finally Neogale in 2021.
Taxonomy
The domestic mink was given its trinomial name Neogale vison domesticus by Eddy Decuypere in his work Is the Mink Domesticated? from 2011.Formerly, all mink were placed in the genus Mustela. A 2000 study reclassified the domestic mink, American mink, and sea mink into the genus Neovison. 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.
Fur-farmed mink are believed to have been descended from the Eastern mink, the Kenai mink, and the Alaskan mink. A mink's subspecies is mostly based on the location of the fur farm.
Domestication debate
Debate has occurred 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". 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. Decuypere's study proved that the mink is domesticated depending on definition.History
Other mustelids which have been killed for their fur include stoats, sea mink, and ferrets.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. The first mink fur farming attempts in Canada were done from around 1866 to 1887 by Patterson Bros. in Richmond, Ontario. Mink farming was brought to Europe in the 1920s.