{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "mink",
  "name": "American Mink",
  "scientificName": "Neogale vison",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The American mink (Neogale vison) is a sleek, semi-aquatic member of the weasel family, native to North America and widely introduced across Europe and Asia. About 60 cm long including the tail and weighing up to 1.6 kg, it has dark, water-repellent fur and hunts fish, birds, and small mammals along rivers and lakesides. An agile swimmer and climber, it lives up to ten years in the wild.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Carnivora",
    "family": "Mustelidae",
    "genus": "Neogale"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1.5,
    "lengthM": 0.6,
    "topSpeedKmh": 25,
    "lifespanYears": 10
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Neogale vison"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — fish, birds, rodents, and amphibians"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Rivers, lakes, marshes, and coastlines"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "3–10 years in the wild (longer in captivity)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "0.6–1.6 kg (1.3–3.5 lb); males larger than females"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 25 km/h (16 mph) on land; strong swimmer"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Native to North America from Alaska through Canada and the US; invasive in Europe, Iceland, South America, and parts of Asia from fur-farm escapes.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Neogale vison.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Neogale%20vison&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Neogale vison. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Neogale_vison/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mink/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/mink/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}