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The European mink (Mustela lutreola) is currently considered one of the most endangered mammals in Europe, being listed as “critically endangered” on the Red List of threatened species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It lives in three small nuclei in Europe, far apart from each other, in southwestern France and northern Spain, in the Danube delta and in northwestern Russia. This isolation of populations is one of the threats to the conservation of the species, together with its small size, the destruction and loss of habitat, water pollution and the existence of the American mink (Neovison mink), an invasive exotic species that competes with and displaces the European mink and is a transmitter of the Aleutian mink disease.

According to the entity, the ex situ conservation program (that is, carried out outside the natural habitat of the species) of this semi-aquatic mammal carried out in Spain requires that collaborating centers, such as Camadoca, in Santa María de Merlés (Barcelona), can have more specimens of this species. The objective is to maintain their genetic variability and have specimens to contribute to breeding and repopulation.

For its part, the Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is an insectivorous aquatic mammal endemic to the Iberian Peninsula that lives in high mountain rivers. It feeds mainly on macroinvertebrates, although it also eats small fish and earthworms. It is a fairly unknown species, listed as “endangered” on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as its habitats are being threatened due to sudden variations in river flow, as well as the increase in native and invasive predatory species.

In its distribution area in Catalonia, the Iberian desman is suffering a significant decline in its populations, in number and density, according to the latest censuses carried out. The knowledge acquired in the ex situ maintenance of the desman at the Camadoca Center allows it to update its census and test an alternative mode of traps that detect the capture of the desman through sensors and the installation of artificial nests for the control of the activity through cameras. According to ADEFFA, it is necessary to continue with captive breeding, environmental education and volunteering to ensure the preservation of this mammal.

The general objective of the project has been to contribute to improving the conservation status of the European mink (Mustela lutreola) and the Iberian desman (Galemys pyreanicus) and to prevent their decline in Spain.

Likewise, the specific objectives have been the following:

• To increase the number of European mink (Mustela lutreola) for breeding and genetic stock of the captive breeding program of the species in Spain.
• To update the data on the distribution, densities, genetics and habitat characteristics of the Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in its distribution area in Catalonia.
• To contribute to increasing knowledge of ex situ conservation and captive breeding of the Iberian desman.
• To test and establish new methodologies for the monitoring of Galemys pyrenaicus.
• Involve the population in the conservation of the Iberian desman.
• To make the existence and current situation of both species known to the population.

• Increase in the number of European mink specimens hosted at the Camadoca Centre, as part of the ex situ conservation programme in Spain: the three individuals who lived at the centre at the beginning of the project were joined in 2021 by two breeding females and another female who had given birth to four cubs. In addition, five cameras have been placed in the facilities and two cameras in the nests that allow less invasive monitoring of the specimens.
• Carrying out campaigns to monitor Iberian desman populations in the known distribution area of the Catalan Pyrenees and detection of possible new populations, study of the biological quality of the habitat and obtaining samples for genetic analysis and capture of new founder specimens for the breeding programme.
• Action to study the social behaviour and reproductive activity in captivity of the Iberian desman, with the monitoring of several individuals in a 60^m2 facility built specifically for this project.
• Study of new methodologies for monitoring populations of Galemys pyrenaicus: on the one hand, the effectiveness of a method of detecting the capture of individuals with fall sensors with magnets and satellite emission has been evaluated; On the other hand, artificial mud and wooden nests with mobile cameras have been installed.
• Carrying out environmental awareness actions , including several informative activities in rivers in the area and training of volunteers, the publication of an informative story and the presentation of papers in different schools.
• Creation of an environmental volunteering network in the distribution area to help monitor the Iberian desman and collect data. In this line, 3 training sessions have been carried out on the detection of feces, as well as on the collection of biological samples and analysis of physical-chemical parameters to the 8 volunteers participating in this phase of the project. The volunteers have participated in the collection of biological samples and in the analysis of physical-chemical parameters, as well as in the placement of the nests.
• Dissemination and communication of the project, through two press releases on the entity’s website, 12 news of the project on social networks and two news items broadcast on the Catalan regional television TV3.

The project has managed to achieve the proposed objectives and has contributed to improving the conservation status of these two species. Firstly, in terms of the conservation of the European mink (Mustela lutreola), 10 individuals have been housed simultaneously in the facilities of the Camadoca Centre, which have also been improved. Reproduction has not been achieved, but the entity is confident that, by incorporating the knowledge accumulated in the different breeding centers, this milestone can be reached. In any case, the entity considers that collaboration is essential in this regard and highlights the importance of its center for the captive breeding of the species.

With regard to the conservation of the Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), the facilities have also been improved, building a new site of 60 m² more naturalized than the previous existing one and which has allowed more individuals to be maintained to try to achieve ex situ reproduction, a milestone that, however, has not yet been reached for this species. In addition, new founders were introduced in this facility who have been observed and maintained, together with the couple who already lived in the previous facility, establishing management and feeding protocols and carrying out a study on their social behaviour and reproductive activity.

In addition, as for the in situ conservation of this mammal, the species has been monitored through the installation of artificial nests and their control by fixed and mobile cameras. The objective of this action has been to increase the places of refuge, since, according to the entity, one of the possible causes of the decline of the Iberian desman may be the scarcity of these spaces. In this sense, plastic, mud and wooden nests were made, the latter being the ones that have obtained the best results, since they are more resistant than mud nests and have been chosen to a greater degree by individuals as a place of refuge to eat or rest. The entity highlights that this is a great learning experience in terms of the conservation of the Iberian desman.

Finally, the project has entailed an important awareness-raising work with several activities in this regard: firstly, the attendance of more than 3,000 people and students who visited the Camadoca Center throughout 2021; in addition, 10 study outings in Rio that focused on a topic related to river ecosystems, with the participation of about 280 people; a informative story, “The secrets of desman”, aimed at infant and primary school students and of which a total of 600 copies were published in paper format (200 translated into Catalan, 200 into Spanish and 200 into Aranese); finally, the following have been carried out 12 presentations in schools, with a total of 366 participating students.