Mink

mink, either of two species of the weasel family (Mustelidae) native to the Northern Hemisphere. The European mink (Mustela lutreola) and the American mink are both valued for their luxurious fur. The American mink—which is classified as Neovison vison by most sources and M. vision or Neogale vision by others—is one of the pillars of the fur industry and is raised in captivity throughout the world. In the wild, mink are small, discreet, and most often nocturnal, and they live in close proximity to water.