Conservation & Ecology
“ Mink Polecat Stoat Weasel
Without strategic mink control being carried out, in combination with habitat enhancement, we will lose the water vole from the vast majority of the British countryside in our working lifetime
What makes mink different is the fact they Otter
can both swim and run extremely quickly, following the voles in and out of the water. Female and juvenile mink are also small enough to fit into the water vole’s burrow, so the vole has no chance of escape. A female mink with young to feed is capable of killing all water voles found on a one mile stretch of riverbank in a single breeding season.
Pine Marten Mink control
It is generally accepted that the only way to resolve the mink problem is to actively control mink using humane methods. The UK Water Vole Steering Group states that: “Without strategic mink control being carried out, in combination with habitat enhancement, we will lose the water vole from the vast majority of the British countryside in our working lifetime.” It is also the law that if a non-native animal is caught in a trap, the trapper is legally obliged to dispatch the animal, as release would be a criminal offence. There are several methods for killing mink,
but you should only ever use the most humane techniques available. Currently, the best method is to live capture the mink in a cage and then shoot it at point blank range at a specific point on the back of the head. A licensed and experienced trapper should only ever do this. The mink bodies are then either buried or burnt. The cages are specifically designed to
avoid any non-target species being caught accidentally. They have a small opening, which is only just big enough for a mink to pass through. If a non-target animal is caught, such as a juvenile otter, they must be released immediately, unharmed. It is the law that any live trap be checked at least once every twenty-four hours; but more regular checks are recommended by conservation groups. If trapping over a wider area, mink rafts
114 I PC JUNE/JULY 2016
take advantage of the animal’s inquisitive nature. As its name implies, the raft is floated on the water (tethered to a bank) and has a hinged tunnel on top of it. They can be used to both identify the presence of mink and to trap and kill. In identification mode, a basket filled with
florists oasis, with a layer of clay on top of it, is put under the tunnel. Mink will climb aboard the raft and walk through the tunnel out of curiosity, at the same time leaving footprints on the clay pad. By monitoring the rafts, it is possible to detect if a mink has recently passed through. Once their presence is confirmed, a cage is then placed in the tunnel to catch the mink, who will probably have revisited the raft several times in the interim period. Other creatures will also use mink rafts, including otter, water vole and water birds such as coot and moorhen, so they can provide additional benefit by being able to monitor what other fauna is about. In most instances, both cages and rafts are
camouflaged to some degree to make them look as ‘natural’ as possible. We recommend the use of purpose made
mink cages as these will have the correct dimensions to allow most other species to escape. They are available at fairly low cost (around £20) from a variety of commercial outlets. Whilst a basic raft is very easy to make, the method of identification using oasis and clay can be fiddly, so commercially purchased models remain the best option, especially if monitoring other wildlife is of importance to your facility. One thing is for sure, if you rid your
watercourses of American mink, you will be doing the UK’s native species a huge favour.
With thanks to the Gwent Wildlife Trust, the BBC and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust.
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