A new update from Tony Martin: Prospects for a mink-free GB
Lismore Mink Control,
Update - 17th December
Traps are on the island and 3 mink have already been caught!
Update - 21st December
2 more mink caught, 1 at Point and 1 at Stronacroibh, bringing the total to 5 so far
Update - 24th December
Total so far now 8.
Update - 29th December
Mink #9 caught at Point
Lismore Public Hall Wednesday 6th December at 7.00pm
Predation by the Invasive non-native North American MINK, is a very real threat to ‘ALL’ of our ground nesting birds, small mammals, amphibians, and freshwater/saltwater fish.
For some of us who keep Chickens and Ducks on the Island, the heartbreak of losing a flock, no matter how small, just once, is reason enough for most of us to give up and not keep birds at all. That in turn means that we don’t have a ready supply of Lismore eggs. Our SHOP needs them, particularly if we are going to be supplying and eating more of our own home grown food in the future.
Most of us who live here on Lismore would seem to be unaffected by the presence of MINK in our environment. But, is this true? A lot is said and written about our abundant and diverse flora and fauna, in the promotional material that describes our beautiful Island. ‘This diversity’ that makes this place so beautiful, is continuously threatened by the presence of MINK.
In North America their natural predators are Coyotes, Big Cats, Raptors and Wolves. They have none here. So unless we do something to control or eliminate the current population, we are going to have to live with them, and the damage they do. If left unchecked there will perhaps be no ground nesting birds to see or wonder at in the future. Who can say what the population numbers of the birds listed below were, prior to introduction of MINK farming in the 1950’s: Oyster Catcher Marsh Harrier (nesting in reed beds like Balnagowan) Gull Common Eider Common Tern Corncrake Artic Tern Mallard Curlew Redshank Lapwing Dunlin Stonechat Snipe Lark Ringed Plover Common Sandpiper We could see the numbers of these birds RECOVER if we can halt their predation.
In one way or another, we all seem to be affected by the presence of MINK here, the reality is that they either threaten the NATIVE DIVERSITY of our Island ENVIRONMENT, or deny the choice of everyone who wants to, to have their own Domestic Fowl at home. We can protect both.
Come and see, hear and discuss how we might solve the problem with Professor Tony Martin, Chair of the ‘Waterlife Recovery Trust’, a 69 year old Zoologist, who spent a deal of his life working with British Antarctic Survey. He was latterly given the job of successfully clearing rodents from South Georgia in the South Atlantic, in order to protect its’ Penguin colonies.
On retiring he decided to apply this experience to MINK. In four years he and his charity www.waterliferecoverytrust.org.uk have cleared Norfolk, Suffolk, East Cambridgeshire, and will complete in South Lincolnshire in the near future. This represents 8% of the total UK land area. Using innovative digitally monitored traps, his organisation have designed the high labour cost usually associated with MINK trapping out of their system, that now delivers a low cost solution to the problem.
Join us to hear Tony’s talk at the Lismore Public Hall on Wednesday 6th December at 7.00pm. Tea, biscuits and Home Baking after the meeting.