A tiny backyard visitor in Sonoma County, California, this week was initially mistaken for a baby otter, but it turned out to be a young American mink instead.
What happened?
Because minks and otters are both mustelids — the same family that includes weasels, badgers, and wolverines — it's easy to understand the confusion. After a resident reported the animal as a possible baby otter, Sonoma County Animal Services identified it as a baby American mink, according to CBS News.
Officials said the mink likely wandered away from its riverbank home before ending up in a backyard with the resident's dogs. Sonoma County Animal Services transferred the animal to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue in Petaluma, where it will be cared for until it can safely return to the wild.
Why does it matter?
Household dogs and cats can unintentionally injure vulnerable wildlife, while direct human handling can add stress or interfere with professionals' ability to reunite or rehabilitate the animal.
It's best to contact local animal control or wildlife rehabilitators for guidance rather than handling wildlife yourself.
Keeping pets on a leash and supervising them is also important when outdoors to protect wildlife — one Canadian dog owner was fined after an off-leash dog was filmed attacking a mule deer in Alberta.
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What's being done?
Animal services officers stepped in quickly, correctly identified the animal, and placed it with a wildlife rescue group equipped to care for it.
If someone finds a young animal in a yard, a crucial first step is to keep pets indoors or at a distance and avoid handling the animal unless authorities specifically instruct otherwise. Taking a photo from a safe distance and sharing details about the location can also help responders assess the situation.
Thanks to the resident spotting the baby mink and professionals stepping in, this adorable critter is now in a safe place where it can recover and eventually return to the wild.
"This little cutie had wandered away from its riverbank home and was understandably confused to find itself in a yard with the resident dogs," Sonoma County Animal Services said in a Facebook post.
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