? mink

[zylophone]

I believe I saw a mink today swimming across the Grand Union canal. the animal was slim and black, about 15ins long with a tail about half its body length. Once it reached the bank it rolled onto its back and exposed a white tummy but once it became aware that I was there it disappeared. Could this be a mink and if so should I report my findings to anyone?

[Dogghound]

It sounds like a mink although the pale belly is quite interesting not a feature commonly seen in them, you sometimes get indiviuals with a bit of white on the chest. It should definately be reported, to the local wildlife trust.

[zylophone]

Thanks for that - will report

[bigdave60dog]

Think Mink. In my experience on the Grand Union, the pale underbelly is not that unusual and the white chest very common.
They have been in that canal system for many years to my knowledge ( I left that area in 1998 and they had been there for a long while then)
Dave