Details of this species in Estonia Status: Alien
Invasiveness: Invasive
Occurrence: Reported
Source: MacDonald and Harrington, 2003 Arrival Date:
Introduction: Intentional Species Notes for this Location:
The American mink was released in the wild in the former Soviet Union between 1933 and 1963 to establish a harvestable population. In the years up to 1971, up to 20,400 mink were released at over 250 sites (Pavlov and Korsakova, 1973; in MacDonald and Harrington, 2003). Mink are now established as an invasive species in the former USSR, and their spread is associated with the decline of the European mink (Mustela lutreola) (MacDonald and Harrington, 2003). American mink began to expand in numbers in Estonia between 1984 and 1990. European mink disappeared from Estonia in 1995. The water vole (Arvicola terrestris) forms a significant part of the diet of American mink in Estonia (Macdonald et al. 2002). Management Notes for this Location:
Impacts:
Competition: European mink (please see Mustela lutreola) in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species disappeared from Estonia in 1995, within a decade of the expansion of American mink. The two species appeared to share similar habitat, and it is possible, although unproven, that the American mink aggressively ousted the European mink from its preferred habitat. There is also considerable overlap in the diet of the two species.
Predation: Mustela vison are having a serious impact on ground-nesting birds along coasts and on islands in the Baltic Sea (Walday and Kroglund, undated). Last Modified: 13/03/2006 12:34:08 p.m.
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