American Mink vs North American River Otter
Sleek brown animal in the creek - mink or otter?
The quick tell
Size first: an otter is a 3.5-4.5 ft heavyweight with a thick, muscular tail that tapers like a rudder; a mink is barely 2 ft including its slim, fluffy tail. In the water, otters swim with playful, porpoising loops and can stay under for ages; a mink bounds along the bank and makes short, businesslike crossings.
Field marks, side by side
| American Mink | North American River Otter | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 1.5-2.5 ft total; ferret-sized | 3.5-4.5 ft total; small-dog-sized |
| Tail | Slim and a bit fluffy | Thick at the base, tapering, powers the swim |
| Chin | White chin and throat patch | Pale brown throat, no crisp white patch |
| In water | Quick, shallow crossings | Rolling, diving, sliding - obvious play |
Still not sure which one you found?
Point Huck at it. One photo identifies it on the spot - and adds it to your collection.
Get Huck - freeCommon questions
Are river otters rare?
They were wiped out of much of the Midwest and East by fur trapping and water pollution, but reintroductions and the Clean Water Act brought them back to nearly every state. Seeing one is still a good sign - otters need clean water and healthy fish.
Something is taking fish from my pond - mink or otter?
Both love an easy pond. Otters leave large twisted scat full of fish scales at haul-out spots and slide marks on banks; mink leave small dark scat and take smaller prey. A trail camera at the bank sorts it out in a night or two.