35,000 mink released from farm in Minnesota, unable to survive in wild, officials say
Minks are found near water and are covered in oil to repel water. (July 18, 2017)
Reporting from ST. CLOUD, Minnesota — Authorities say 35,000 mink that were set free from a pelt farm in central Minnesota are incapable of surviving in the wild.
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says someone entered the property of Lang Farms in Eden Valley late Sunday or early Monday, dismantled parts of the exterior fence and then released about 35,000 mink from their cages. Eden Valley is about 75 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
Authorities say the mink are raised for their pelts and won’t survive in the wild. The animals are worth more than $750,000.
The Sheriff’s Office warns that people who come into contact with any of the mink should report the sighting but not try to capture them because they can bite.
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