Database of the European mink (Mustela lutreola L., 1761) on Kunashir Island

Study Extent

The dataset includes data on current observations of the European mink on the Kunashir island, including the territory of the Kurilskiy nature reserve. The animals were intentionally introduced to the island in the 1980s in order to preserve the species. Dataset includes 36 occurrences: 4 are places of European mink release on Kunashir island in the 1980s and 32 - all registrations of mink and its traces in nature on Kunashir from the beginning of 2014 to mid-2021. In 23 cases, footprints of minks were recorded in the snow or on sandbanks, in other cases, animals were recorded: 4 times - during the release, 1 time - visual observation in nature, 7 times - registration of minks with camera traps and 1 time the mink was caught by a poacher who used animal trap. All occurrences included in the Dataset correspond to 29 locations. There are 2 localities where minks were observed on different dates: first, footprints were found, and then a camera trap was set up. With the help of camera traps, 7 occurrences were obtained: 2 on the Pervukhin creek and 4 on the left inflow of Lesnaya river. Our Dataset confirms the existence of the European mink far from the main part of its native distribution range, which is catastrophically declining. The collected data is the result of the current monitoring of the endangered species in the native range and the basis for future observations.

Sampling

The European mink (Mustela lutreola L.) has a typical mink appearance and reliably differs from the American mink (Neovison vison), the white fur coloration on both the upper and lower lip, as a result of which the European mink has a white ring around the lips. Animals with such a feature were clearly visible in the frames taken by a camera trap on the Kunashir. The footprints of the European mink have the characteristic appearance of the medium mustelids. The mink is a near-water animal, and its track is distinguished by entering and exiting water. It is impossible to distinguish a European mink from an American one by traces, but there is no American mink on the island, while the presence of a European mink is confirmed by camera traps.

Method steps

1. The dataset is material collected during the field surveys. In most cases, the geolocation was determined in situ using GPS. The coordinates of the places of release and some places where minks were found were determined from Google Earth. Good knowledge of the terrain and working conditions allowed us to give these coordinates with an accuracy of 0.00001. The content of the records was created taking into account the Darwin Core specifications Our dataset data is validated by visualizing the occurrences it contains. All of them are located within the Kunashir Island and lie on freshwater streams or reservoirs. We checked the created dataset for compliance with the Darwin Core specification. No contradictions were found.

The dataset is devoted to the European mink - Mustela lutreola (Class - Mammalia; Order - Carnivora)

1. Mustela lutreola
   common name: European Mink rank: species

The European mink is found throughout the whole Kunashir Island. From an unnamed stream near the Bystry stream in the west of the island to the site of the species introduction near the Bannyy stream in the east, and from a lakes near the Belozerskaya river in the south of the island to the upper reaches of the Tyatina river in the north.