CONTAMINANT CONCENTRATIONS IN ILLINOIS MINK AND OTTER

Mink and otters are valuable wildlife resources and management efforts in North America and Europe have been directed towards re-establishin g extirpated populations or expanding existing populations. The simila rity of otter and mink habits and trophic status may allow inferences about the suitability of the habitat that is occupied by one species ( mink) for the other species that is absent (otter). Remnant otter popu lations in Illinois have not expanded even though suitable habitat app ears to be available and is occupied by mink. Low contaminant concentr ations in tissues of mink trapped in a habitat where otters are not fo und and metal and organochlorine concentrations in tissues of otters i ncidentally collected by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, suggest that environmental contaminants should not hinder natural exp ansion of otters in Illinois.