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All American mink which are trapped by the Initiative are humanely dispatched and their carcasses sent to the University of Aberdeen. Here, samples are taken and analysed and the information is used to further the current scientific knowledge of American mink in Scotland.
Below is some information about some of the samples taken, but to find out more, please see Prof. Xavier Lambin’s webpages.
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A canine tooth is removed and x-rayed. If the mink is under one year old, the x-ray will show a cavity in the pulp (the fleshy part in the centre of the tooth which shows as a dark space on an x-ray). If the tooth is found to be from an adult, it is sent to a laboratory in the USA where they cut the tooth horizontally and read the rings in the pulp like tree rings. The number of rings are used to estimate the age of the individual American mink.
Using mink tissue, DNA is extracted and analysed so that relationships between individuals can be established, enabling us to understand the distances American mink disperse. This is because while one female can have a litter of kits that may all have different fathers, the maternal DNA is consistent with all the kits. As the kits disperse and are invariably caught, the distance from their mother can be determined, indicating the overall distance a kit can travel from the natal den. The current conclusion indicates kits can travel 100km within one year or less.
In the initial study, of the 365 mink analysed 205 showed links of relatedness, as either mother-offspring or as siblings. |
X-ray showing a number of canine teeth extracted from mink. |
A study at the University of Aberdeen is currently taking different tissue samples from mink - whisker, liver, bone and muscle - and analysing them for different chemical 'signatures'. Many chemicals, particularly Lead, Carbon and Nitrogen are deposited in tissues of the body over time and for American mink in Scotland eating different diets such as coastal and marine vs. terrestrial or freshwater, leave different signatures. This means we can look at the life-long diet of the mink by looking at the chemical signatures in their tissues.
Preliminary analysis, by the University of Aberdeen, of stomach contents of mink caught in previous projects in the north east of Scotland and Cairngorms, has shown that American mink as generalist predators eat a wide range of prey. It appears that mink predate more on fish during winter months, possibly as fish are slower swimming and easier to catch. Also found in scat and stomach content throughout the year; bird feathers and bones and small mammal bones. See the Ecology page for more information on American mink diet.
For more information on the research carried on American mink and water voles in Scotland, please contact Prof. Xavier Lambin of the University of Aberdeen. |
