Removal of medium sized predators and the breeding success of ducks in Finland

• Main Author: Kauhala Kaarina
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Subjects: American mink; pine marten; raccoon dog; red fox; duck breeding success; predator removal; Northern Finland
• Online Access: https://kramerius.lib.cas.cz/view/uuid:8c13bdea-8339-18e6-115e-7cf9fcb3fb65

A predator removal study was done in Finland to reveal the possible effects of mammalian predators on the breeding success of ducks. Predator removal/protection from hunting was most effective in northern Finland. Also in eastern Finland predator removal had some influence on predator numbers, whereas its impact on predator numbers was not so evident in southern Finland. In southern Finland, no increase in the breeding success of ducks was observed in the predator removal area, whereas in northern Finland the relative reproduction rate of diving ducks increased in the removal area and that of dabbling ducks declined in the control area. In eastern Finland, the breeding success of ducks declined in both areas. There was a positive relationship between the raccoon dog index and the relative reproduction rate of dabbling ducks in southern Finland, indicating that raccoon dog numbers probably are of minor importance for the breeding success of ducks. On the contrary, there was a negative relationship between the fox and marten indices and the breeding success of ducks in some areas. Marten and fox removal may thus have a positive effect on the breeding success of ducks in Finland. The effect of the American mink could not be verified in this study.