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Illinois mink population appears to be mending – in places

Spotting a mink in the wild tends to be a rare occurrence, but reports of sightings have climbed over the past year in one region of Illinois. (Photo by Les Winkeler)

No one is certain exactly how many mink there are in Illinois. No one is certain if the population is declining or expanding.
One thing that is a certainty, at least anecdotally, is that the small mammal is thriving at Mermet Lake, located on Route 45 between Vienna and Metropolis.
“We see mink quite a bit down here,” said Chris McGinness, DNR’s site superintendent at Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area. “I have seen mink out here for many years, and seen several of them.”

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