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Every week there are new marvels to look for in the outdoors, and Discover Nature highlights these attractions. The Missouri Department of Conservation’s Josh Hartwig brings us the stories of river otters, luna moths, red buds, and other actors as they take center stage in nature’s theater.You can hear Discover Nature, Mondays at 7:42 a.m. and 5:18 p.m.

Mink Kits

Missouri Department of Conservation.
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KRCU

April 26 - May 2

Discover nature as we make the transition from April to May this week, and keep an eye out for mink kits that will be born through early May.

Minks are generally scarce in Missouri and are most common in the Mississippi Lowland in the network of drainage canals and ditches. The basic requirement for mink habitat is permanent water. Minks dwell along the banks of streams and rivers or the shorelines of lakes and marshes. They make their homes under the roots of trees, in cavities in banks, under logs or stumps, in hollow trees or in muskrat burrows and lodges.

Chiefly nocturnal, minks often come out at dawn or dusk and less frequently during the day. They’re aggressive, good fighters and will attack animals larger than themselves. Minks rely on their sense of smell to locate prey and their under water agility allows them to easily capture fish, though they also prey upon mice, rabbits and other terrestrial animals.

The single annual litter of four or five young is born around the first of May. Males are only slightly larger than females at birth but become noticeably larger as they grow older. Their eyes open at about 5 weeks old and when they’re between 6 and 8 weeks of age, the adults take them on foraging trips for the first time. The family stays together until the end of August when they separate and go their own way.

To keep track of current natural events like when to watch for Mink kits you can get your own Natural Events Calendar from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Candice Davis is the former host of Discover Nature on KRCU. Her goal is to help people to discover nature and learn to appreciate the many outdoor opportunities Missouri has to offer. Candice knows that people who spend time in the outdoors are generally less stressed, more thankful, healthier and more successful in life. Children who spend time outdoors have better grades and are more physically active. It’s Candice’s goal to inspire Missourians to discover nature in their everyday lives through stories of butterflies, elk, tupelo trees, alligator gar and other marvels of nature on KRCU’s Discover Nature program.
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