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| Do you see a heart shape in this non-traditional MAXICARD about The AMERICAN MINK (Neovison vison)? |
You think this animal is cute? Like a ferret "or something"?
Hmm...You don't know squat.
:)
This is a violent, fierce creature.
Passive/aggressive? No: aggressive/aggressive.
Only the grizzly bear, the wolverine and the shrew are more of a "terrorist" in the North American animal kingdom, I would say...
FEROCITY.
"The American mink (Neovison vison) is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN.[1] Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the only extant member of the genus Neovison. The American mink is a carnivore which feeds on rodents, fish, crustaceans, frogs and birds. In its introduced range in Europe, the American mink has been linked to declines in European mink [USA 1 - EUROPE 0, in Battle of the Mink(s) (no, not Minsk of Belarus)...] and water vole.
It is the most frequently farmed animal for its fur,
outdoing in economic importance the silver fox [outfoxing it],sable [disabling it], marten [smarten up, marten!] and skunk [minks are more skunkworks than the skunks :)...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works".
Advice for the ANALytically-inclined:
keep back 30+ cm from a mink!
"The American mink has two anal glands, which are used for scent marking, either through defecation or by rubbing the anal region on the ground. The secretions of the anal glands are composed of 2,2-dimethylthietane, 2-ethylthietane, cyclic disulfide, 3,3-dimethyl-1,2-dithiacyclopentane, and indole. When stressed, the American mink can expel the contents of its anal glands at a distance of 30 cm.[12] Scent glands may also be located on the throat and chest."
"Intelligence
An early behavioral study was performed in the 1960s that assessed visual learning ability in mink, ferrets, skunks, and house cats. Animals were tested on their ability to recognize objects, learn their valences and make object selections from memory. Mink were found to outperform ferrets, skunks and cats in this task, however this letter (short paper) fails to account for a possible conflation of a cognitive ability (decision making, associative learning) with a largely perceptual ability (invariant object recognition)."
No, Rodney King, mink individuals "can't all get along"
" Mink are solitary, territorial animals and are intolerant of other mink. In times of overpopulation, mink control their own numbers by either killing each other through direct conflict or by causing weaker mink to be driven from territory until starvation sets in."
Beware the hatred of a mink, even when trapped!
" Minks caught in traps cling to life with great tenacity, having been known to break their teeth in trying to extricate themselves from steel traps.[53] Elliott Coues described a trapped mink as thus ;
One who has not taken a Mink in a steel trap can scarcely form an idea of the terrible expression the animal's face assumes as the captor approaches. It has always struck me as the most nearly diabolical of anything in animal physiognomy. A sullen stare from the crouched, motionless form gives way to a new look of surprise and fear, accompanied with the most violent contortions of the body, with renewed champing of the iron till breathless, with heaving flanks, and open mouth dribbling saliva, the animal settles again, and watches with a look of concentrated hatred, mingled with impotent rage and frightful despair. The countenance of the Mink, its broad, low head, short ears, small eyes, piggish snout, and formidable teeth, is always expressive of the lower and more brutal passions, all of which are intensified at such times. As may well be supposed, the creature must not be incautiously dealt with when in a such a frame of mind."
As pets
Wild mink can be tamed if caught young, but can be treacherous, and are usually not handled bare-handed.[61]In the late 19th century, tame American minks were often reared for ratting, much as ferrets were used in Europe. They are more effective ratters than terriers, as they can enter rat-holes and drive rats from their hiding places."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_mink
Mink are more terri-fic than terri-ers at ratting out the rats.
George W. Bush said "smoke them out", but MINK say "go personally after them in their ratholes" - much like in the case of Saddam and Gaddafi...
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Hah! I see the ferocious little beastie is guarding a heart LEAF!
ReplyDeleteI knew there was a good reason why I don't like mink coats.
Actually there is more than one reason, but I won't go into that now.