Evidence for naturalization of the American mink (Neovison vison) in Friuli Venezia Giulia, NE Italy

The American mink( Neovisonvison) was intro- duced to Italy for the fur farmingindustry during the 1950s. The first feral minkwere observed in the 1980s in the northern regions of Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Emilia Romagna. In this work, we investigated the distri- bution of minkin Friuli Venezia Giulia, more than 10 years after the last extensive release of farmed animals which happened in this region in 2003. Results indicate that American minkhas naturalized in the region and popula- tions are still localized along some tributariesof the upper Tagliamento catchment.