The objective of this project of the European Mink Association is to stop the decline of the European mink (Mustela lutreola) in the Ebro river basin.

The LIFE LUTREOLA SPAIN project aims to improve the conservation status of the European mink in Spain and strengthen the protection of the species. The general objectives of the initiative are to eliminate the American mink nuclei within the distribution area and risk areas of the European mink and to increase the viability of the wild population of European mink, through population reinforcement and the formation of new nuclei. In addition, a monitoring network will be created to assess the situation of both species.

The eradication of the American mink within the distribution area of the European mink is one of the most important actions for the conservation of the native species. As part of a previous phase of the project, work carried out in autumn 2014 showed that the floating platform system is significantly more effective in capturing specimens of the invasive species than conventional trapping. Capture through these platforms allows for more effective control, even eradicating population centers at the local level. On the other hand, the results of the work carried out indicated that the area occupied by the American mink is twice as large in the Ebro river basin and the means previously foreseen were not sufficient to eliminate the species. In this phase , work will be carried out with a total of 60 floating platforms distributed over 50 km of river.

The initiative will serve to complement the trappings necessary for the eradication of the American mink in the upper basin of the Ebro River and in the Omecillo River from January to April 2016.

The actions of the project will expand the trapping area, launching a total of four traps. Four follow-ups will be carried out prior to the respective trappings and a final one to assess the success of the work carried out.

The number of American minks caught and eliminated in the area of action will be one of the indicators that will serve to assess the success of the project.