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. © 2023 The Authors. Mammal Review published by Mammal Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 lockdown limited human activity in certain areas of life, particularly travel and gathering indoors. Consequently, many people spent more time outdoors, penetrating natural areas and potentially putting pressure on wildlife. Increased interest in outdoor recreational activities during the lockdown period of 2020 was observed in the suburban forest near Prague (Czech Republic), where human visitation to the same period of 2019 increased by fivefold. Could this increased human presence alter the spatial behaviour of wildlife? In this study, we present the wild boar's space use and movement patterns during the first Covid-19 lockdown in the Czech Republic and compare them to the same period in 2019 with no Covid-19 restrictions. In total, we equipped 40 wild boars with GPS and biologger devices in the suburban forest "Kostelec nad Černými Lesy"in the Czech Republic. We calculated daily home ranges and step length, turning angle, and net square displacement. Human activity was measured daily using an automatic counter of humans entering the forest by a road. We hypothesised that the increased presence of humans in the forest alters daily movements and daily range of wild boars. Our preliminary analyses from the first lockdown period in spring 2020 show that increased human presence resulted in allocation of movement activity toward nighttime by increasing the distance travelled at night. We provide important insights into how increased human activity due to COVID-19 related restriction affect wild boar's spatial movement and space use. © 2021 ACM.