American mink vs least weasel

Mustela vison compared with Mustela nivalis

Key Differences

• American mink is Not Evaluated while least weasel is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	American mink	least weasel
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum same	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class same	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order same	Carnivora (食肉目)	Carnivora (食肉目)
Family same	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus same	Mustela	Mustela
Species	Mustela vison	Mustela nivalis

Evolutionary Relationship

American mink and least weasel share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Mustela.

Conservation Status

American mink

NE — Not Evaluated

least weasel

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	American mink	least weasel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

American mink

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate coniferous forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and deserts and xeric shrublands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Mongolia), Europe (9 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Chile, Ecuador).

least weasel

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Oceanian and Palearctic realms.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Sao Tome and Principe), Asia (Cyprus), Europe (11 countries), and Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

American mink

The American mink (Mustela vison) is a species in the genus Mustela. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate coniferous forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and deserts and xeric shrublands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland en.

least weasel

伶鼬（Mustela nivalis）被IUCN红色名录列为近危（NT）物种。接近受威胁标准，若不采取保护措施，种群可能变得脆弱。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden