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Lily, Cubs, Mink, Mice - UPDATE November 09, 2019

A trail camera check revealed that Lily and her four cubs have not exited from their den since 5:20 PM on October 22. This spurs ideas.Mink female with chin patch - 12-18Mink female with chin patch - Dec. 2018

Here at the WRI, I was taking a break from my desk and having chickadees land on my hand when a mink appeared, dove under the second floor deck, and nearly caught a squirrel. The mink knew me and didn’t run when I walked inside, opened the frige for bologna, and saw a bag of mice. The mink stood up to take one from my hand and showed me her chin patch identifying her as Stripe from last year. We have now seen both Stripe and Clear but worry because trapping season is on and we haven’t seen Clear for days. Stripe was soon back for another mouse, and I dangled bologna and a mouse together. She nudged past the bologna to take the mouse, which may explain why we haven’t seen either mink through the warm months. They were probably out mousing and not missing the bologna. She came back two more times and made the same choice. I hope to see her every day—and Clear, too. The picture of Stripe with her distinctive striped chin patch is from December 13, 2018.

Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center


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