The mink (Mustela Vison) is not a native species to Britain, it wasn’t until 1956 that they were first confirmed to be breeding here after establishing themselves after years of escapees from fur farms.

The mink is a carnivore with a varied diet that consists of fish, birds, mice, rabbits, frogs, water fowl, water voles, ducklings and crayfish.

Mink are found living near water and rarely found far from riverbanks, lakes or marshes. They are good, strong swimmers and have a small webbing between their toes which helps them move quickly in the water. Mink are found in many aquatic habitats but usually prefer slower moving rivers where there is a plentiful supply of food.

The mink is very territorial and males will not tolerate the presence of another male within their territory. The mink is known to be very vicious and can be devastating to other wildlife, they are formidable hunters and kill more animals than just those they eat.

Mink have now been recorded on every river in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and streams, lakes , reservoirs and ponds are also likely haunts. They can swim, climb trees and squeeze into the smallest of holes.

The population of mink found in the UK today are descendants of American mink that either escaped from fur farms or were deliberately released by animal rights activists. Their population has been growing a lot since they were first settled here and the estimated number of mink in the UK is now claimed to be as many as 110,000.

The breeding season for mink starts in February and an average number of 4 kits but sometimes up to 11 are born between April and June.