Mammal
American Mink
Neogale vison
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Common Names
Mink
Habitat
Woody riparian areas and waterways along the Columbia River and Pacific Coast
First Observed
1806-02-23
Observed At
Fort Clatsop, near present-day Astoria, Oregon
Both Lewis and Clark described the mink in their February 1806 Fort Clatsop natural history notes, writing that “the mink is found in the woody country on this coast, and does not differ in any particular from those of the Atlantic states.” Lewis also observed that Native women used mink or polecat skins as clothing, confining a small skin between the body and waist garment. The mink’s dark lead-brown color was carefully noted.
Journal References
5 journal entries mention American Mink
Feb
15
1806
Clark: February 15, 1806
...kit
fox, Antelope, Sheep, beaver, Common Otter, Sea Otter, minks, Seals
racoons, large Grey Squerrel, Small brown Squirrel, Small grey Squirrel,
Ground Squirrel,...
Feb
15
1806
Lewis: February 15, 1806
...kit fox, Antelope, sheep,
beaver, common otter, sea Otter, mink, spuck, seal, racoon, large grey
squirrel, small brown squirrel, small grey squirrel, ground squir...
Feb
23
1806
Clark: February 23, 1806
...of the neck, body, legs and tail is a
dark lead brown. The Mink is found in the woody Country on this Coast and
does not differ in any particular from those of th...
Feb
23
1806
Lewis: February 23, 1806
...of the neck, body, legs and tail is a dark
lead brown. The mink is found in the woody country on this coast, and dose
not differ in any particu from those of the ...
Apr
3
1806
Lewis: April 3, 1806
...ich and the
body in front they confine a small skin of the mink or polecat which in
some measure conceals the parts of generation, they also frequently wear a
ca...
