Invasive American Mink: Linking Pathogen Risk Between Domestic and Endangered Carnivores

Abstract

Infectious diseases, in particular canine distemper virus (CDV), are an important threat to the viability of wild carnivore populations. CDV is thought to be transmitted by direct contact between individuals; therefore, the study of species interactions plays a pivotal role in understanding CDV transmission dynamics. However, CDV often appears to move between populations that are ecologically isolated, possibly through bridge hosts that interact with both species. This study investigated how an introduced species could alter multihost interactions and act as a bridge host in a novel carnivore assemblage of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), invasive American mink (Neovison vison), and threatened river otters (Lontra provocax) in southern Chile. We found that rural dogs interact with mink near farms whereas in riparian habitats, minks and river otters shared the same latrines with both species visiting sites frequently within time intervals well within CDV environmental persistence. No interactions were observed between dogs and otters at either location. Both dog and mink populations were serologically positive for CDV, making the pathogen transfer risk to otters a conservation concern. Altogether, introduced mink in this ecosystem have the potential to act as bridge hosts between domestic dogs and endangered carnivores.

Fine-scale movements of rural free-ranging dogs in conservation areas in the temperate rainforest of the coastal range of southern Chile

“…The habitats of these species are native temperate forest (guigna, Darwin's fox, pudu) and riparian habitats (river otter). Species presence in these habitats in this particular study area had been confirmed by previous A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t and continuing studies using camera traps and interviews (Farías et al, 2014;Sepúlveda et al, 2014a;Sepúlveda et al, 2014b;Silva-Rodríguez and Sieving, 2012).…”

“…These include (but are not limited to) 'stray' dogs and owned farm and pastoral companion dogs whose daily activity pattern may involve ranging that can bring them into contact with wildlife, especially when human habitations border wildlife reserves or other natural areas'. In this area, dogs represent an important threat for the conservation of endangered species such as the southern pudu (Pudu puda) (Endangered, IUCN, 2014) by predation (Silva-Rodríguez and Sieving, 2012), Southern river otters (Lontra provocax) (Endangered, IUCN, 2014) by disease transmission (Sepúlveda et al, 2014b) and interspecific killing (Espinosa, 2012), and the Darwin fox (Lycalopex fulvipes) (Critically Endangered, IUCN, 2014) by interspecific killing and disease transmission (Farías et al, 2014). We conducted our study in Cadillal Alto, a small human settlement that includes 11 families/households located on the north bank of M a n u s c r i p t the Chaihuín River between two protected areas, the Valdivian Coastal Reserve (VCR) and the Alerce Costero National Park (ACNP) (Fig.…”

An invasive species as an additional parasite reservoir: Trichinella in introduced American mink (Neovison vison)

“…American mink may also serve as a reservoir and involve in circulation of Trichinella in nature. It is killed and eaten by most of larger than mink predators, including wolves (Canis lupus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), otters (Lutra lutra), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) as well as by dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) (Errington, 1937;Hamilton and Hunter, 1939;Grigorev and Egorov, 1969;Hersteinsson and Macdonald, 1996;Bryan et al, 2006;Odden et al, 2006;Sepúlveda et al, 2014).…”

Importancia de las enfermedades infecciosas para la conservación de la fauna silvestre amenazada de Chile

“…Por ejemplo, la introducción de especies alóctonas que porten un patógeno desconocido para especies nativas puede signifi car la aparición de enfermedades emergentes (Medina-Vogel 2010, Deem et al 2001 Sepúlveda et al 2014). Por otra parte, la introducción de patógenos en nuevas áreas geográfi cas puede ocurrir como consecuencia de planes de manejo que incluyan la translocación de animales (Deem et al 2001), situación que representa una seria amenaza para los programas de conservación (Cunningham 1996).…”