Winter activity patterns in an invading Mediterranean population of American mink (Neovison vison)

Patterns of daily activity and the factors affecting it were studied in an invading Mediterranean
population of American mink, Neovison vison, radiotracked in the northeast of Spain during the post breeding
season (winter – half year). We distinguished between local activity, defined as active behaviour without spatial
displacement, locomotion activity as active locomotion behaviour while foraging or travelling, and inactivity.
We studied the effect of sex, age, daylight (nocturnal or diurnal), month, river flow and average rainfall on the
activity of eight males and three females. Male mink presented more locomotion activity than females and
subadult mink had more locomotion activity than adult mink. Average rainfall per day had a negative effect on
locomotion, while daylight had no effect on either total activity or locomotion activity. Studied mink spent most
of their time inactive in-den. These results are accordance with the patterns of activity shown by other native
and invasive populations.