Endangered European minks on Saaremaa show first proof of breeding in wild

Conservationists have received the first definitive proof that the critically endangered European mink is breeding in the wild on Saaremaa. Footage accidentally captured along a riverbank on the Estonian island has confirmed that the animals relocated there have successfully reproduced. Although pairs of females and males had been spotted along rivers in previous springs, no offspring had ever been documented before.

Martin Silts, a zoologist involved in the relocation programme, said the footage is the first conclusive evidence of reproduction. He explained that seeing the animals breed in natural conditions indicates that Saaremaa offers high-quality habitats. This gives conservationists confidence that their efforts are worthwhile and that there are places on the island where the animals can survive and find enough suitable territory.

This spring, female European minks from Tallinn Zoo gave birth to 22 kits on Saaremaa. After teaching the young how to survive on their own, the mothers were taken back to the zoo. The kits are now able to look after themselves. According to Silts, because these females are excellent mothers, releasing their offspring makes sense. Young animals adapt more easily to wild conditions, are better at locating suitable habitats and have a higher chance of survival than adults. The kits are to be released along Saaremaa's rivers.

The reason for establishing European mink populations on both Saaremaa and Hiiumaa is that neither island is home to the American mink, the species' main predator and competitor. This gives the endangered European species a chance to thrive on Estonia's islands. Even so, the survival and adaptation rate of released minks in the wild remains fairly low.

Silts noted that there is no other option, as every river on the mainland is full of American minks. Tallinn Zoo currently holds 110 animals, Hiiumaa has a small population, and establishing a population on Saaremaa has been part of the plan from the beginning. This provides additional security: if a disease outbreak or another disaster wiped out one population, animals elsewhere could be used to restore it.