Range expansion and prey use of American mink in Argentinean Patagonia: dilemmas for conservation

FASOLA L, MUZIO J, CHÉHEBAR C, CASSINI MH, MACDONALD DW

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH

SPRINGER

Año: 2011 vol. 57 p. 283 - 294

1612-4642

Following the establishment of American mink farms outside North America, the species has successfully invaded Europe and South America, and in some places, their presence demonstrably threatens native biodiversity. We surveyed for mink signs along the Andean Patagonian forest in Argentina from 38°52′ S to 54°52′ S, revealing that their range has now expanded to span 800 km of contiguous occupation on the continent including several types of wetlands and has also colonised Tierra del Fuego Island. Rate of expansion was estimated using two methodologies and varied between 5.53 and 9.00 km/year (linear method, large-scale spread) and 4.86 km/year (within a more restricted area, grid method). Diet throughout the region fitted the generalist pattern described for mink elsewhere. Native small mammals were the most frequently consumed category. Crustaceans (patchily distributed in the region) occurred in the diet in proportion to their availability (rs=0.961, p