CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The American mink was released in Tierra del Fuego Island in the 1940s. The main effects of its introduction in other regions of the world include the reduction, and even local extirpation, of prey populations and the displacement of native mustelids, constituting one of the principal threats to regional biodiversity. Knowledge of ecology of this introduced predator is essential for planning control and eradication strategies. We evaluated abundance, distribution, habitat characteristics and diet of mink in the Argentine coast of the Beagle Channel. We registered presence of mink signs using manual GPS, habitat type (forest, shrubland, peat, grassland and muddy beach) and human presence along 600 m transects established every 5 km. Density of dens was estimated for each habitat and scat was collected to analyze diet. Also, a habitat suitability model was created using dens position and habitat maps covers in a GIS. Mink distribution was heterogeneous, with den density greater in the forest and unaffected by human presence. Minks established dens within 5-11 m from the coastline in areas with a slope between 5º-30º. We found mink dens only in forest and shrubland and significant differences were not observed between the mink diet in those habitats. The diet was significantly different between winter and summer. Mammals were the most consumed item in both seasons, while in summer the consumption of fish, birds and crustaceans increased. Finally, we developed a predictive habitat distribution model for the mink along the coast of Tierra del Fuego. In addition, these results allow propose conservation strategies based on the establishment of high priority areas and corridors. In this sense, it is recommendable to focus management on captures along coastal forest.