Feral American mink Neogale vison continues to expand its European range: time to harmonise population monitoring and coordinate control

Abstract

The American mink Neogale vison is an invasive alien species in Europe that threatens endemic biodiversity and can transmit zoonotic diseases, including the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus. The last attempt to map the geographic range of this species in Europe, at continental scale, dates back to 2007. We aimed to update the distribution map of the feral American mink and assess its temporal trends. The information we collected was critically analysed with the aim of improving future monitoring protocols and data collection. We gathered and standardised data from 34 databases, covering 32 countries. Through 3 five‐year periods from 2007 to 2021, changes in range size, hunting bags and capture statistics were analysed. We also reviewed the current situation of mink farming in the different European countries and recorded population control schemes. The American mink is now widespread in the Baltic States, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Poland, Scandinavia, Spain and the UK. The species is reported to be absent in some areas (e.g. parts of the UK, Iceland and Norway). Data are deficient for several countries, mainly in south‐eastern Europe. These findings indicate that, during the last 15 years, the species has continued to spread across the continent, increasing its potential extent of occurrence in most countries. Our effort to collect and harmonise data across international borders highlighted information gaps and heterogeneity in data quality. Updated distribution data on the species provided here will aid risk assessment and risk management policies. These actions require a coordinated effort for population monitoring at continental level. Monitoring effort and data collection should be intensified in south‐eastern Europe to improve data on the current distribution of this invasive species.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Wild American Mink (Neogale vison): The First Serological Study in Germany and Poland

“…The mink is an invasive species in both Germany and Poland. It is not protected by law in either country, and it can be hunted by licensed hunters [ 22 , 38 ]. All hunted animals were harvested legally and made available to the authors for this study.…”

“… Sampling areas, sample size ( n ), and seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild American minks ( Neogale vison ) from Germany and Poland. The orange area represents the geographic distribution of the American mink in Germany and Poland (after Vada et al [ 22 ]). Germany: AT Artern (federal state: Thuringia), HB Havelland (Saxony-Anhalt), and TO Torgau (Saxony); Poland: SB Słubice (Lubusz) and PK Pieńsk (Lower Silesian).…”

“…Minks were first observed in the wild in Germany in the 1950s [ 19 ] and in Poland in the 1960s [ 20 ]. The species’ main distribution area in Germany is in the eastern and northern [ 21 ] and south-western part of the country [ 22 ], whereas in Poland the mink is distributed across the entire country, with a focus on the northern lowlands [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. The mink is one of the most invasive mammals, with major negative ecological and economic impacts [ 25 ].…”

Occupancy dynamics of free ranging American mink (Neogale vison) in Greece

“…Although the ecology of mink outside its native range is well documented, information is lacking in southeastern Europe 20 . Previous studies have shown that mink can occupy areas as far as ~ 1 km away from water sources 21 , moving along banks with dense vegetation and complex ground structures where they can hide or den in, while they avoid open areas and high slopes 22 – 27 .…”

“…In addition, Vada et al . 20 concluded that in order to align management objectives and coordinate mink control across countries, mink monitoring should follow a standardized protocol at the continental scale.…”