Density Dynamics and Changes in Habitat Use By the European Mink and Other Native Mustelids in Connection With the American Mink Expansion in Belarus

Abstract The American mink (Neovison vison) was introduced in Europe for fur farming in the 1920s and feral populations were formed due to escapes or intentional releases to the wild thereafter. Nowadays, the species is widely distributed across much of the continent, and is considered the main cause of extinction of the European mink (Mustela lutreola). In Spain, the first populations of the American mink were formed in the 1980s and since then a continuous expansion in their range has been observed. We describe the expansion process of the American mink based on reports of its distribution in the literature, focusing particularly on its increasing overlap with the distribution of the native, endangered European mink. Over the 27 years (1985–2012), the distribution area of non-native mink in Spain increased by 17 times, with an average annual increment of 16.5% and no significant variation among populations. By 2012, a quarter of continental Spain was occupied by the American mink and its presence was confirmed in one-third of the distribution area of the European mink. The status of native mink has worsened drastically in Spain over the last years and urgent conservation measures are required to stop further spread of the American mink.

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PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODY TO ALEUTIAN MINK DISEASE VIRUS IN EUROPEAN MINK (MUSTELA LUTREOLA) AND AMERICAN MINK (NEOVISON VISON) IN SPAIN

Journal of Wildlife Diseases ◽

10.7589/2015-04-082 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 22-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Sisco Mañas ◽

Asunción Gómez ◽

Victoria Asensio ◽

Santiago Palazón ◽

Madis Podra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disease Virus ◽

American Mink ◽

Neovison Vison ◽

Mustela Lutreola ◽

European Mink ◽

Aleutian Mink Disease Virus

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Multi-season occupancy analysis reveals large scale competitive exclusion of the critically endangered European mink by the invasive non-native American mink in Spain

Biological Conservation ◽

10.1016/j.biocon.2014.05.002 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 176 ◽

pp. 21-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Giulia Santulli ◽

Santiago Palazón ◽

Yolanda Melero ◽

Joaquim Gosálbez ◽

Xavier Lambin

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

Large Scale ◽

Competitive Exclusion ◽

American Mink ◽

Critically Endangered ◽

European Mink

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A Microbial Tale of Farming, Invasion and Conservation: On the Gut Bacteria of European and American Mink in Western Europe

10.21203/rs.3.rs-912230/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pauline ML Van Leeuwen ◽

Albrecht I Schulte-Hostedde ◽

Christine Fournier-Chambrillon ◽

Pascal Fournier ◽

Lise-Marie Pigneur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Native Species ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Prey Availability ◽

American Mink ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Bacterial Composition ◽

European Mink ◽

Free Ranging ◽

The Impact

Abstract One of the threats that the critically endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola) faces throughout its relict range, including the occidental population, is the impact of the American mink (Mustela vison) invasion in its natural habitat. We aimed to explore the differences in microbiota and genetic diversity between European and American mink to test phylosymbiosis theory. We investigated the gut microbiota composition of European and American mink in a controlled environment (captive breeding compounds and fur farms respectively) to account for the impact of the environment on gut bacterial composition. We compared them to the gut microbiota of both mink species in the natural environment across multiple habitats. Our exploratory results showed differences between free-ranging and captive individuals, with more extreme changes in American mink compared to European mink. However, feral American mink from a long-established population exhibited gut bacterial composition closer to the free-ranging native species compared to more recently established feral populations. This result could be explained by dietary shifts in the area sampled based on prey availability through different landscape, but also to a lesser extent due to greater genetic differentiation. This exploratory work contributes to the scarce literature currently available on the dynamics between gut microbiota and mammal invasion.

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European mink: restoration attempts for a species on the brink of extinction

10.1093/oso/9780198759805.003.0017 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tiit Maran ◽

Madis Põdra ◽

Lauren A. Harrington ◽

David W. Macdonald

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

American Mink ◽

Isolated Populations ◽

Conservation Action ◽

European Mink ◽

Number Of Factors ◽

The Status ◽

Viable Population ◽

Direct Inter

European mink were once widespread across Eurasia, but now exist only in small isolated populations in parts of their former range. A number of factors likely contributed to the decline but direct inter-specific aggression from non-native American mink has been key. This chapter reviews restoration efforts for this species undertaken over the past 17 years on the (American mink-free) Estonian Island of Hiiumaa (where captive-bred European mink have been released in an attempt to create an island sanctuary) and in Spain (one of the few European countries were a viable population of European mink may persist). It discusses some of the challenges association with reintroduction efforts, including the potential role of personality types, and reviews the status of European mink in Spain, focusing on the threat associated with the current expansion of American mink there and the urgent need for conservation action.

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