The American mink was released in Patagonia 50 years ago and continues its expansion. It is now reaching important areas for conservation in Southern Argentina. It is a carnivore elsewhere feared as a driver of native prey worrying population declines and its negative effects on Patagonian endemic fauna started and will be probably irreversible. There is particular concern about the effect of mink on 3 bird species. Mink reached the reproductive areas of the critically endangered Hooded Grebe (Podiceps gallardoi-only 900 individuals) and heavily prey on them. Also, this invader had been mentioned as a main factor of decline for Rallus antarcticus elsewhere in Patagonia and there are recent records of mink in areas inhabited by the remaining populations of this threatened rail. Finally, mink was confirmed for an area occupied by one of the southern healthy groups of the nationally threatened Merganetta armata.

This project will assess mink present distribution in Southern Patagonia, its relative abundance among areas especially important for conservation and define present line of invasion with the aim of providing wildlife managers with a map of mink recent status, so monitoring efforts can be allocated and priority areas for urgent action against this invasive carnivore can be defined. This is first and unavoidable phase to start any monitoring activities towards a control plan design. The project will gather information of the species at two different levels of detail or scales. The coarse scale will dimension and map the situation of the Province regarding American mink and its presence in relation to areas of different conservation or management interests. In a more detailed scale, areas with especial conservation interest will be approached so that relative abundance of mink amongst them will be estimated in two different ways. This information will be immediately ready to categorize the different areas in accordance to mink abundance, which will be in itself an important tool to help urgent management decision. The project aims to disseminate information regarding this invader so local landowners and other stakeholders can be aware of its capacity of damage and the importance of informing when it is locally detected.