Credit: Madis Põdra
The disappearance of the species from their natural habitat is a growing problem, which unfortunately means the need to intensive management, including ex situ conservation and translocations, is also growing. For the translocation to be successful, risk factors must be removed from the area. In the course of reestablishment, it is important to assess the adaptation of captive-bred animals into the wild in order to improve release strategies and methods.
The doctoral thesis of Madis Põdra focused on the translocation of captive-bred European mink. The efficiency of adaptation as well as the influence of American minks, the main threat, were evaluated. This was achieved by analysing the spread of the invasive species in Spain. The translocation of the European mink was assessed in two regions - the Salburua wetland in Northern Spain and Hiiumaa in Estonia. In Salburua, the abundance of the American mink was reduced before releasing the European mink; in Hiiuma