European Mink - Biology and Conservation
     
 
   
European Mink - Biology and Conservation
 

European mink captive breeding

Content (© EMCC, 1995)

pdf file, 32 pps, 325 KB

A. Introduction

B. Staffing

C. Disease Prevention Control

EUROPEAN MINK, MUSTELA LUTREOLA LINNAEUS 1761,
CAPTIVE BREEDING AND HUSBANDRY PROTOCOL


Tiit Maran & Paul Robinson
EUROPEAN MINK CONSERVATION & BREEDING COMMITTEE
&
TALLINN ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS

PALDISKI ROAD 145, EE0035 TALLINN
ESTONIA
TALLINN - 1996

 

 


A. Introduction

The European mink is one of the most critically endangered carnivores in Europe and is in need of urgent conservation action. The general decline of the species has been alarmingly rapid in the last fifty years and is thought to be due to a number of anthropogenic factors including habitat loss, pollution, hunting & trapping and the introduction of the more robust and opportunistic American mink. Nearly all known wild populations are near to extinction and there is little hope for the survival of the species without intensive protective and management programmes, both in the wild and captivity. Until more is known about the species' biology and ecology, effective conservation measures in the wild are limited. Thus, placing an ever increasing importance on a co-ordinated captive conservation programme as part of an overall conservation strategy to aid the species recovery.

Several attempts to breed the European mink in captivity have been made during recent decades; for commercial, scientific research and conservation reasons. Unfortunately the results of these attempts have not always been successful(for more details see Maran T. 1994: Studbook for the European mink,Mustela lutreola Linnaeus, 1761, vol.1). However, these projects have provided a great deal of valuable knowledge about the captive management of the species. Furthermore, a lot of useful information applicable to the European mink has been accumulated by several institutions and experts concerned with the maintenance of other mustelid species in captivity (e.g. Black-footed ferret, European otter).

This first edition of the guidelines integrates the knowledge from several sources:
  • knowledge about keeping the European mink gained at Tallinn Zoo.
  • an enormous amount of data, ideas and advice was received from the Black-footed ferret programme in the United States of America.
  • information derived from the Black-footed ferret captive propagation protocol at the Metro Toronto Zoo, Canada.
  • other information was taken from various European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) husbandry guidelines, particularly the EEP Guidelines for otter.
As the European mink is highly endangered, every single individual is of vital importance to the conservation of the species and must therefore be handled with utmost care and in the safest possible way. Therefore, the various protocols set out in these guidelines must be stringently adhered to wherever possible. However, there will always be a need to improve our captive husbandry that will necessitate some modification and experimentation to determine more effective management techniques. Although this may appear to be in direct contravention of each other, adoption of these two approaches(as indicated below)will ensure best practices in a continuous and evolving programme:
  • the protocols must be rigorously adopted providing uniformity for all holding facilities to ensure maximum success, based on current knowledge and experience.
  • the protocols must incorporate a degree of flexibility to encourage improvements in the quality of the programme and implementation of new ideas.

To achieve this goal all the participants must follow the protocol and, where improvements are proposed, permission must be first sought from the species co-ordinator, and thereafter, where necessary, with the European Mink Conservation & Breeding Committee (EMCC). If no justifiable objection is found the proposer will be encouraged to implement the proposed new or improved technique(s) and, based on its success, it will thereafter be incorporated into the guidelines.

The guidelines places an emphasis on maintaining the European mink in large numbers held in off-show breeding facilities. However, details of facilities on view to the visiting public in zoos and wildlife parks, are also discussed.

The current guidelines should not be seen as a definitive or final document, but as an evolving document where it will be subject to continuous change in the course of improving the captive conservation programme. Any comments or constructive criticism about the guidelines are welcomed.

The authors would like to thank and acknowledge the assistance of Leif Blomqvist from Helsinki Zoo and Mati Kaal from Tallinn Zoo in compiling the guidelines. We are grateful to the Societa Zoologica La Torbiera and to the British Government Darwin Initiative for financial support.



B. Staffing

Every breeding facility should designate one member of the senior staff who is fully responsible to the EMCC for breeding and keeping of European mink. This person should preferably also be the contact person for the EMCC. One (or more) full-time mink keeper(s) will be responsible for the day to day care of the mink and who will report to the designated EMCC contact. Following current guidelines the number of keepers necessary to provide adequate cover at all times, especially during the breeding season, days off and holiday periods must be determined, along with their daily routine.



C. Disease Prevention Control

1. Other animals

Other animals (i.e. feral cats) should be kept away from the vicinity of the European mink facility. Live-traps should be maintained around the surrounding fence and trapped animals removed immediately on inspection. In addition an electric fence may be used to accompany the exterior fence to discourage unwanted animals climbing into the enclosed area.


Figure 1.



2. Other precautions

Excessive noise or uncontrolled artificial light could be detrimental to the animals well-being, particularly during the breeding season (March - May), parturition and the initial rearing period of kits (late-May to late-July). Therefore the immediate area surrounding European mink facility must be kept as private as possible.

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