When we left to pick husband up from work the other day, there was a fat little raccon waddling up the side of the road. Kiddos were thrilled. I was of 2 minds. I like raccons. They’re adorable. HOWEVER, they are a pain in the butt. Smart, strong, extremely curious and very destructive, they are no farmer’s idea of a good time. So, really, what I mean is, I like raccoons when they stay out of my garden and away from my livestock.

This morning, when we were coming back from dropping husband off, there was another creature running hell-for-leather across the front of the property. I wasnt quite sure what it was. At first, I thought ‘river otter’, but…do we even have those here? According to the internet, we do. They were considered extinct here for 100 years due to over-trapping and destruction of habitat, but they have shown up again in the last decade. However, the tail was wrong. Otters have a long, flat, heavy tail. This creature had a shorter, more bushy tail.

Muskrat? No. Again, tail was wrong, but also general body shape.

Weasel? Too big, and the colouring was wrong. Weasels are white in winter. This was brown.

Stoat? Same issues as weasel.

Ah, I have it. Mink.

Mink were extensively farmed here not all that long ago, so there are quite a few of them around. And that’s kinda bad news for me.

Mink are one of the most dangerous predators around when it comes to chickens and ducks. While they generally prefer frogs and fish, if they can get at the fowls, they will. And they’re spree-killers. They aren’t a predator that takes only what it needs to eat. They will kill the entire flock for fun and just have a nibble here and there.

So on the wildlife/biodiversity side of things, it is awesome to see them here. On the “I have chickens and ducks and would like to keep them” side of things, it is not awesome at all. Looks like I shall have to spend some time making sure the barn is as secure as I can make it.

We eventually would like to have a pond or ponds stocked with fish, so mink will be around. We’ll have to find the balance that allows us to coexist.