Winter distribution and abundance of mustelids and beavers in the river valleys of Bialowieza Primeval Forest

Lutra lutra, Mustela vison, M. putorius, M. erminea, M. nivalis, and the settle­ments of Castor fiber were surveyed along 170 km of rivers in Białowieża Primeval Forest (Poland and Belarus), the best preserved temperate lowland forest in Europe. The censused rivers varied from very small (1-5 m wide, < 1 m deep) to medium-sized (11-15 m wide, up to 3 m deep). Mustelids were counted by tracks left in snow. Mean index of abundance of otters was 2.2 inds/10 km of the river bank (range 0-5) and that of mink 4.6 inds/10 km (range 0-7.5). On average, 1.4 polecats/10 km were recorded (range 0-5). Otters and mink were most abundant on the medium-sized rivers and least numerous on very small ones. Polecats lived predominantly on very small rivers. Species structure of a predator guild varied with river size. On average, 5.1 stoats and 4.0 weasels were counted per 10 km of river bank. Stoats were twice as common along rivers with open marshy flood-plain as along rivers with forested valleys. On average, 2.9 beaver settlements were recorded per 10 km of river bank (range 0-5). Habitat niche overlaps were highest between otter and mink, and stoat and mink. The smallest overlaps were between the polecat and all other predators. Densities of mustelid predators and beavers in Białowieża Primeval Forest were similar to those in other fairly well preserved woodlands in Europe,