Kodiak Mink

 

A couple of weeks ago Nora and I were driving to the pass when we saw what looked like a muskrat or small beaver by the side of the road.  We slowed down and it did not run off - we took some pictures and then weirdly enough it disappeared under the car.  I had to get out and shoo it out from under the car with ski poles.  So we got a good look at it.  

I realized it was too big for a muskrat and clearly was not a beaver.  So what was it?  A Coast Guard security patrol car pulled up behind us and checked out the scene.  Initially they tried to scare the animal out from under the car with their siren.  It did not work.  The patrol officers found the whole situation hilarious, and one of them recognized the animal as a mink. After we drove off they stayed and watched the mink.

These are awful pictures, but yes that's mink by the road. I looked them up when I got home (click here for article on mink).  Mink are not supposed to be on Kodiak and both beavers and muskrats were only introduced in the 20th century.  But looking online I found that it seems mink have been reported near town in just the last 10 year or so (click here for link and click here for another article).  Someone introduced them to Kodiak and now they are another 'invasive' species to the archipelago.   

It seems they have established themselves around town.  Now it will be interesting and a little scary to see if they spread to the rest of the island.  Beavers in the 20th century had a HUGE impact on the Kodiak ecosystem.  Their dams blocked salmon streams and they flooded wetlands.  What impacts would/could mink have on the island?  I kind of wonder how they will interact/compete with the indigenous small mammals - weasels, voles and land otters. 

Patrick