I just had an incredibly amazing experience today that I’m so grateful to have witnessed.
I was visiting this but couldn’t go much further beyond the bridge because Petrie is flooded out. After I parked in front of the parking barriers I started walking on the bridge. A couple pointed out a #mink running at full speed ahead towards me. We saw it had something in its mouth and chalked it up to a fish. It was moving too fast to really see what it was.
The couple left but the mink came back again, still something in its mouth. Ready this time, I snapped a photo. I reviewed my snaps and saw it wasn’t a fish it had in its mouth — it was a baby!
Mama was moving her babies from one end of the bridge (where it was flooded out), to the marina on the other side of the bridge, to higher, dryer ground and to where she likely prepared another nest for her babies.
People that were fishing and there before I showed up said they saw her go back and forth 3 times that they’ve noticed. And considering the number of times I saw her, I estimate she has at least 7 babies. Minks can have up to 10 babies in litter, although averaging 4 to 5.
Mama didn’t care about the people around, she was on a mission to get her babies to a safer place. It was fascinating to see her at work.
No matter what species, mamas will always fight like hell to protect her babies.
I have more photos but haven’t gotten to them yet. Thank you to the couple for pointing her out!
Photos by Dani-Elle Dubé
UPDATE: thank you for the kind words. I’m happy to have shared this and that it brought some joy. Nature at work is always the most fascinating experiences. Petrie is a beautiful place and it’s a privilege to witness something so beautiful. I, am sure as a lot of people, always – if not often – walk away with a story after a trip to Petrie.