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American Mink

Neogale vison

Mammal · family Mustelidae · order Carnivora

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

American Mink
Photo: Patrick Reijnders, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
49 states[3]
Typical length
28 in[4]

The American Mink (Neogale vison) is a mammal in the family Mustelidae, order Carnivora[5]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide, and it is native across most of the United States[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the American Mink a global rank of G5 (Secure) and a United States rank of N5 (Secure)[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1]. NatureServe estimates the global adult population at 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[8] 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where American Mink lives

NatureServe lists the American Mink as native in 49 US states and territories, from Alaska and Washington to Florida and Maine[3]. State ranks differ, and the state table on this page shows each one[9]. These lists show where NatureServe records the animal, not how many live there[3].

Alaska: native, state rank S5AKMaine: native, state rank S5MEWisconsin: native, state rank S5WIVermont: native, state rank S5VTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5NHWashington: native, state rank S5WAIdaho: native, state rank S3IDMontana: native, state rank S4MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank S5NDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5MAOregon: native, state rank S5ORNevada: native, state rank S4NVWyoming: native, state rank S5WYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5SDIowa: native, state rank S4IAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: native, state rank SNROHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5PANew Jersey: native, state rank S5NJConnecticut: native, state rank S5CTRhode Island: native, state rank S5RICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S3UTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank S4MOKentucky: native, state rank S5KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S4WVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S4MDDelaware: native, state rank S3DEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S1NMKansas: native, state rank S4KSArkansas: native, state rank S5ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S4NCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S3SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S1DCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5MSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4TXFlorida: native, state rank S5FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (49 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
AlaskaS5Secure
ArkansasS5Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS5Secure
ConnecticutS5Secure
DelawareS3Vulnerable
District of ColumbiaS1Critically Imperiled
FloridaS5Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoS3Vulnerable
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS5Secure
IowaS4Apparently Secure
KansasS4Apparently Secure
KentuckyS5Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MaineS5Secure
MarylandS4Apparently Secure
MassachusettsS5Secure
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MississippiS5Secure
MissouriS4Apparently Secure
MontanaS4Apparently Secure
NebraskaS5Secure
NevadaS4Apparently Secure
New HampshireS5Secure
New JerseyS5Secure
New MexicoS1Critically Imperiled
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS4Apparently Secure
North DakotaS5Secure
OhioSNRNot Ranked
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonS5Secure
PennsylvaniaS5Secure
Rhode IslandS5Secure
South CarolinaS3Vulnerable
South DakotaS5Secure
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS4Apparently Secure
UtahS3Vulnerable
VermontS5Secure
VirginiaS5Secure
WashingtonS5Secure
West VirginiaS4Apparently Secure
WisconsinS5Secure
WyomingS5Secure

Habitat

NatureServe records habitat types for the American Mink that include herbaceous wetland, scrub-shrub wetland, forested wetland, riparian areas (land beside streams and rivers) and tidal flat or shore[10]. It favors wetlands with plenty of cover and areas along waterways[11]. For dens it uses burrows made by other animals, hollow logs, spaces under tree roots, or burrows it digs in a streambank[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[10]

Size and diet

The American Mink eats meat. NatureServe lists it as a carnivore, a fish eater and an eater of invertebrates[12]. Its diet includes small mammals, waterfowl, crayfish and other small animals that live in or near water, and it changes with what is available[13]. The typical length recorded by NatureServe is 72 cm (28 in)[4]. Litters are 2 to 10 young, with an average of 3 to 4[14]. Young begin to venture from the nest after about 7 weeks and are weaned at 8 to 9 weeks[14].

Trait Value
Typical length[4] 72 cm (28 in)
Typical adult weight[15] 1.6 kg (4 lb)
Food habits[12] Carnivore, Piscivore, Invertivore
Migration[16] non-migrant

When to look for it

The American Mink is mainly nocturnal and crepuscular, which means active at night and around dawn and dusk[17][18]. It may be less active in severe winter weather[17]. NatureServe lists it as a non-migrant, though populations can differ[16]. In northern states breeding runs from late February to early May, with a peak in March[14].

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record American Mink as present in 2 park units[19]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

Questions people ask

Is the American Mink endangered?
No. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) globally and the IUCN category is Least concern[2][7]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1].
Where does the American Mink live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in 49 US states and territories, including Alaska, Texas, Florida and Maine[3]. It favors wetlands and areas beside waterways[10][11].
What does the American Mink eat?
It eats small mammals, waterfowl, crayfish and other small animals tied to water, depending on what is available[13]. NatureServe lists it as a carnivore, a fish eater and an eater of invertebrates[12].
How long is an American Mink?
NatureServe records a typical length of 72 cm (28 in)[4].
When is the American Mink active?
It is mainly active at night and around dawn and dusk[17][18]. It may be less active in severe winter weather[17].

Facts and sources

  1. American Mink is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for American Mink: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists American Mink as native in 49 US states and territories: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 72 cm (28 in). NatureServe Explorer
  5. American Mink (Neogale vison) is a mammal in the family Mustelidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for American Mink (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. Habitat types NatureServe records for American Mink: Herbaceous wetland, Scrub-shrub wetland, Forested wetland, Riparian, Tidal flat/shore. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for American Mink. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for American Mink. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on reproduction for American Mink. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 1.6 kg (4 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  16. NatureServe migration category for American Mink: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  17. NatureServe notes on phenology for American Mink. NatureServe Explorer
  18. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal, Crepuscular. NatureServe Explorer
  19. NPSpecies park lists recording American Mink as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Patrick Reijnders, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.