The interaction between native otters and invasive American mink has important welfare dimensions, with mink predation affecting ground-nesting bird welfare while otter competition suppresses mink populations.
The mink-water vole conflict illustrates how invasive species create cascading welfare impacts on native species. Individual water voles experience high predation stress from mink, which unlike native predators can penetrate burrow systems. The near-extinction of water voles from many river systems represents an enormous welfare loss at population scale. Mink control through live trapping and dispatch requires careful welfare management to minimise trap time and ensure rapid, humane killing. The natural mink suppression provided by expanding otter populations is a welfare-positive outcome of otter conservation that reduces the need for direct intervention.