Mink

Catching sight of a mink is a treat. They are always on the move and do not stay in one place very long, so they are easy to miss. Like the otter, they are usually found close to water. You have to look more closely, however, to find mink tracks or assess their gait since they weigh only a fraction of the much bigger otter and do not leave very strong impressions in the sand or mud.

Tracks

Gaits

These photos shows a bounding gait typical of the mink in wet, firm sand.

A diagonal 2 x 2 bounding gait is very common among the weasel family. Note that the hind foot registers on top of the front foot and the feet on one side are placed slightly ahead of the feet on the other side. James Halfpenny points out that this is actually a gallop.

A 4 x 4 gait is also common with both the mink and otter. I suspect that it signals slower movement, and perhaps more curious or investigative behavior, compared to the 2 x 2 gait.

Stories

Other animals are common along the water's edge where mink tracks are typically found. Here we have mink tracks in association with a crow and a spotted sandpiper.

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