Cynthia Kenny Sam forwarded my unidentified leaping creature post to her son, Oen, who came up with this identification: a mink. Looking at the mink print (inset on the lower left) next to the print I photographed, they do look more alike than anything else I have seen. I wouldn’t have thought we had mink on Cape Ann, but it looks like we might have an identification. Has anyone ever seen or heard of mink sightings around Cape Ann?
E.J. Lefavour
Good Morning Gloucester 
minky randazza, but he passed away a few years ago…
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Nice investigation and post, EJ —
(ps. It’s Cynthia Kennedy Sam, and Oen Kennedy (singer-songwriter, music therapist, nature lover! )
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Definitely looks mustelid to me, mink are common in the area (just ask Paul, he has photographed mink, weasels, and otters several times) and I have seen mink a few times in the area (Plum Island, Essex, and in Paul’s backyard!) Without a size comparison it’s hard to say if it’s mink or weasel (and what species at that) but because it is in sand, my guess would be mink as they are semi-aquatic and feed mostly on fish, amphibians, and crustaceans. Which beach did you catch this on?
Cool shots, thanks for sharing!!
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I know you probably were checking to see if it was a ferret. I found the tracks on Cambridge Beach in Annisquam, a place I walk often but had never seen tracks that looked anything like these before. I was surprised at mink because I didn’t think they were around here, but obviously they are. Having looked at every different mammal and rodent track I could think of, the mink track does look most like the ones I photographed, so although I’m not certain that is what made them, it seems possible.
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I would be surprised if it were a ferret, most ferrets don’t survive long in the wild, a day or so at most. They have no survival skills and get preyed upon quickly, sadly. But mink, however, are native and abundant, and seem to love the area, especially the Anniquam river area as it provides lots of food and is protected from the open ocean. You’re lucky to have caught such fresh and pristine tracks, mink are usually pretty secretive, and most people never see them or know they are around.
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Would make a nice fur stole…
just kidding! I hope I don’t get paint thrown on me now.
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mustelidblues is right. we have at our vernal pond minks. Our dog 11 year old Jack Russell chased one with a chipmunk in her mouth one time. She almost caught it. If she was younger she would’ve.Our Blaze loves to chase all the wild life here. She’s a sweetheart. Joey doesn’t care for her to much because almost brought down GMG on her first visit there.
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You talking about your dog Bingo? He went right for the nerve center of our highly protected servers, got past the armed guards and lept for the main power cord. Goddamn dog almost took down the whole site.
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Bingo? her name is Blaze.Please. If gmg wasn’t so unorganized it wouldn’t have been so bad. She’s a sweetheart! 🙂
……0
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Bingo….LOL
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Thought it couldn’t be a mink because the last ne I saw was sort of slinking along, not leaping, so I thought something like a squirrel was more likely. But then I found this: http://www.ehow.com/video_4417570_track-mink.html. Mink it is!
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