INVASIVE AMERICAN MINK (NEOVISON VISON) ON TIERRA DEL FUEGO ISLAND: EFFECTS ON NATIVE FAUNA

VALENZUELA, AEJ; FASOLA, L; RAYA REY, A; SCHIAVINI, ACM

Mar del Plata

Congreso; 2ndWorld Conference on Biological Invasions and Ecosystem Functioning; 2011

The American mink is a semi-aquatic mustelid carnivore whose introduction on other insular systems around the world has caused reduction, and even local extirpation, of native species population via predation or competition, constituting in this way one of the main threats to biodiversity in those isolated areas. Knowledge of the ecology of this invasive predator is essential for the planning of management strategies. The main objectives of this work were: i) to generate and to increase the information about the ecology of American mink in the Fuegian Archipelago, and ii) to evaluate the effect of this exotic species on the native fauna, with special emphasis on the southern river otter (Lontra provocax), an endangered native mustelid and potential competitor.