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ST. GEORGE — From hatchling owls to escaped minks, southern Utah's wildlife rehabilitators often don't know what to expect each day when they clock into work.
Astrea's coat is a stark white, which made her easy to spot after she escaped the fur farm, said Lauren Ross, a senior specialist in lifesaving and care at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary's Wild Friends facility in Kanab.
The albino mink was raised by the farm for her fur, which is used for coats, scarves and fake eyelashes among other products. And Ross said the ambassador animal helps Best Friends educate the public about the industry.
"She's an excellent ambassador because she's a great example of what the fur looks like on them and their personalities and why we shouldn't have fur farms," she said. "And that they (fur farms) are still in existence because that shocks people."
Elle Greer, the assistant manager of small animals, told St. George News that Wild Friends "is kind of like two departments in one."
