Mink

[churchward]

Actually, recent research seems to suggest a healthy otter (bigger and stronger predator) population will restrict the mink and actively drive them out. There is certainly evidence of this occuring in places on the Trent. Although anyone suggesting "wait and see" with mink is in for a nasty suprise. Mink have been around in the UK a while, and none of the news has been good.

If that is the trend then it is interesting news and what needs to be done is to encourage Otter expansion. Perhaps it needs the Otter population to reach a certain "healthy" level as you suggest to control or drive the Mink out it seems from what I have read about other areas is that it can be difficult to establish Otter where there are high Mink numbers. Possibly just for food availability/competition reasons.

[FadeToScarlet]

An interesting point- were the violent animals not mink, but otters, would we be trapping and killing them? I mean, if the reason why otters aren't becoming more established is because of competition with the mink for food, then otters must eat (at least some) of the same things as mink. Yet otters are a Good Thing, and mink are vermin and pests...

Edited July 6, 2009 by FadeToScarlet

[NB Alnwick]

If that is the trend then it is interesting news and what needs to be done is to encourage Otter expansion. Perhaps it needs the Otter population to reach a certain "healthy" level as you suggest to control or drive the Mink out it seems from what I have read about other areas is that it can be difficult to establish Otter where there are high Mink numbers. Possibly just for food availability/competition reasons.

 

But if the Otter population then becomes invasive, we might need to re-introduce Wolves to control them.

 

And, if the Wolf population becomes invasive perhaps we need to re-introduce bears.

 

Rather than have the countryside populated by dangerous wild animals, wouldn't it be easier and healthier to control the mink by trapping and shooting them?

 

Edited to say that we enjoy living in a country where being attacked by wild animals is rare and unlikely.

Edited July 6, 2009 by NB Alnwick

[Proper Job]

On the subject of Mink.... a little tale......

 

My brother-in-law lives on an island on the river Thames. He was having trouble with a Mink v's his chickens. The Mink was winning!

 

A trap was baited and laid. The Mink was caught and given an underwater swimming lesson.

 

On examination of it's mortal remains, it was found that the Mink had a collar on it (which was incidentally digging into the poor deceased animals neck). Attached to the collar was a plastic box and a thin wire arial.

 

The carcass was disposed off and the collar hung up in a tree.

 

A week or so later, some boffins turned up with some tracking gear and said that they had traced a strong signal to the island and could they have a look around. They would not confirm what animal they where trying to track. B-in-L told them to sod off as the island was private property.

 

He saw the people on several other occasions, mooching around on the banks along side the island. I think they concluded that their animal had taken up residence on the island but never left it. My B-in-L would move the collar to a different location on the island every couple of days. It was such fun!

 

I think that eventually the batteries ran out and they gave up tracking it.

[Sir Nibble]

Please let's not have any "Poor fluffy mink aaaaah give them a cuddle" type responses. That's how we got into this mess in the first place. They must be iradicated and if that should need to be by methods that may be deemed to fall short of the humane ideal, then that is entirely the fault of the idiots who freed them in the first place.

[churchward]

But if the Otter population then becomes invasive, we might need to re-introduce Wolves to control them.

 

And, if the Wolf population becomes invasive perhaps we need to re-introduce bears.

 

Rather than have the countryside populated by dangerous wild animals, wouldn't it be easier and healthier to control the mink by trapping and shooting them?

 

Edited to say that we enjoy living in a country where being attacked by wild animals is rare and unlikely.

What??? I suggest you move back to the town.

 

Otters aren't dangerous. Even left to their own devices in a perfect habitat you won't get many, they like a big territory to maintain their food supply. In fact most people even in a high population area for Otters stomp around so much they are unlikely to ever see one. The only percieved "issue" as so often with wild animals is that they are seen as vermin when pitched against a commercial operation like a trout farm. When was the last time you heard of someone being savaged by a pack of Otters?

[grahoom]

An interesting point- were the violent animals not mink, but otters, would we be trapping and killing them? I mean, if the reason why otters aren't becoming more established is because of competition with the mink for food, then otters must eat (at least some) of the same things as mink. Yet otters are a Good Thing, and mink are vermin and pests...

 

 

Otters mainly eat crayfish, crabs, fishes - they sometime eat rabbits birds and rodents, but I think generally they go for the first lot listed. The mink, on the other hand, are not so fussy so will eat anything that it can tackle - they're not as good at swimming at Otters so don't eat as much fish (but they probably will have a go if they get the chance). So generally the eating demographic for the two is quite different, Otters will leave Voles alone if there is a good source of their preferred pray, which considering there is a massive population of the American Signal Crayfish on a lot of waterways, then getting a good Otter population back up might help tackle that species!

[churchward]

An interesting point- were the violent animals not mink, but otters, would we be trapping and killing them? I mean, if the reason why otters aren't becoming more established is because of competition with the mink for food, then otters must eat (at least some) of the same things as mink. Yet otters are a Good Thing, and mink are vermin and pests...

The Otter is a native species and has different habits than the Mink which are particularly aggressive and do not fit into o bump along with the other native animals.

 

Otters do eat some of the same things but not all the same and normally you get more Mink per square mile than Otters. It is all a question of balance.

[Tiny]

Having met mink at ground level on a number of occassion I think they are real nasty bits of work. Most carnivores like Weasels and other native British species are very shy. But the mink seems to have that I rule the world attitude and oft stays in sight ignoring you. As for a cute face I had one of the dears arrive at a wide lock just after I had opened a gate. The gates were obviously its way of crossing the lock for it tripped out to along the unopened gate and smiled across at me. Then it open its mouth to show its teeth as if to tell me who was boss. Then it retreated, wandered down the side of the lock to the other end and crossed on those gates and so off on its way. Horrid things a bit like those grey squirrels!

[Dominic M]

Has any tried eating mink? I noticed the grey squirrel getting poor press in the above post and that's a tasty meal.

[churchward]

Has any tried eating mink? I noticed the grey squirrel getting poor press in the above post and that's a tasty meal.

Don't know what they taste like but I heard they make nice warm coats!

 

........I'll go and get me non-mink coat then

[Sir Nibble]

Don't know what they taste like but I heard they make nice warm coats!

 

........I'll go and get me non-mink coat then

Compare wiz meerkats. Simples!

[The Toad in the Hole]

Has any tried eating mink? I noticed the grey squirrel getting poor press in the above post and that's a tasty meal.

 

 

I'll take a guess at pretty unpleasant. Mustelids smell fairly unpleasant at close quarters, and compared to otter poo, the scat is horrid as well, so thanks, but I won't be lining up for the mink canapes at Cropredy this year

[Bat & Frog]

Just read this thread and can't believe people are drowning the Mink, I'm all for totally wiping this species off this small island but no animal should be treated this way. The best way to kill is to trap then shoot, preferably using pellets like the Prometheus Lead free pellets which will shatter the skull with a close range shot.

 

Mink have a tendancy to stick to the main waterways, thereby there is a possibility of watervole populations living undiscovered close to mink if the watervoles are off the main channel. Mink are believed to be one of the main reasons (with habitat destuction and intensive farming) for the rapid decline of the WV species as the mink can enter the burrows, whereas otters can not. With otters increasing in numbers and re-establishing their range, this has the potential to force/ encourange mink into the areas of fragmented watervole population with the result of even less watervoles.

 

Many wildlife trusts are likely to be supportive people wanting to "manage the mink population". This is probably best undertaken by residential, rather than CC's. By contacting the WT it also ensure 12 people per mile are not wasting their time after one dead mink !

 

As for snares, well if you have otters or watervole (both legally protected species) in the area and you catch one of these, (or someones puddy tat) you can probably expect a fine in the £0000's, RSPCA are likely to be happy to persue a prosecution.

 

A female mink can have 9 kits, therefore the best time to be trapping is early spring before females give birth.

 

And its not just the responsibility of the fluffy animal right yobs as to why we are overrun with these murdering american invasives. When the govt banned mink farming they didn't deal with the issue of the animals. Mink farmers had no reason to spend further money on the mink so many just opened the doors.....

 

 

On a lighter note, if anyone wants a "furry" cod-piece or nipple warmer this winter, these may soon be in fashion !

 

 

Bat

(an independent ecologist / nature conservation contractor)

Edited July 6, 2009 by Bat & Frog

[ditchcrawler]

Just read this thread and can't believe people are drowning the Mink, I'm all for totally wiping this species off this small island but no animal should be treated this way. The best way to kill is to trap then shoot, preferably using pellets like the Prometheus Lead free pellets which will shatter the skull with a close range shot.

 

And its not just the responsibility of the fluffy animal right yobs as to why we are overrun with these murdering american invasives. When the govt banned mink farming they didn't deal with the issue of the animals. Mink farmers had no reason to spend further money on the mink so many just opened the doors.....

 

Bat

(an independent ecologist / nature conservation contractor)

 

Sorry for snipping so much of your post which most of which I fully agree, but I think an old fashioned "lead"(dirty word) pellet would be more efficient than a prometheus pellet as lead deforms on impact and so imparts more energy into the target. Full agree with your comment on drowning.

 

I knew some mink farmers, well before farming stopped there were having a rough time with the anti/liberation boys. Security was a major problem for them. I don't know of any who "just opened the gates" most of them spent a lot of time trying to trap the ones that others had liberated.

Please don't think I am trying to defend the industry because I am not. It's just that not all farmers took the easy option.

Brian

[Bat & Frog]

I think an old fashioned "lead"(dirty word) pellet would be more efficient than a prometheus pellet as lead deforms on impact and so imparts more energy into the target. Full agree with your comment on drowning.

 

Hi Brian,

I won't disagree with you on the pellets, just the promethus were what was recommended when I went on course regarding watervoles. Game Conservation Council who designed the Mink raft probably know best, so I'll check what they recomend. Reason given for the pro (177) was that it is a small hard pellet with a small surface area and doesn't deform, energy goes into knocking a hole in the skull.

 

As for the farmers, like most things there are many good ones out there and a few who just want to maximise profit. It is probable that when there was a market there was more incentive to catch the liberated ones, but it is know that some just walked away.

 

Iain

[NB Alnwick]

Hi Brian,

I won't disagree with you on the pellets, just the promethus were what was recommended when I went on course regarding watervoles. Game Conservation Council who designed the Mink raft probably know best, so I'll check what they recomend. Reason given for the pro (177) was that it is a small hard pellet with a small surface area and doesn't deform, energy goes into knocking a hole in the skull.

 

As for the farmers, like most things there are many good ones out there and a few who just want to maximise profit. It is probable that when there was a market there was more incentive to catch the liberated ones, but it is know that some just walked away.

 

Iain

 

Most of us seem to agree that they should be eradicated and we now know how best to do this but do we know how serious a threat they are? Last year a family of mink took at least one, possibly two, of the nine cygnets that we had at Cropredy and they took them when they were quite large - almost fully grown.

 

We have seen them take adult moorhens too. What danger do they pose to pet cats and dogs and larger wild animals such as hedgehogs, stoats and badgers? Would they try to get into a boat and if successful what damage might the cause?

[Dominic M]

Mink represent an appalling threat to indigenous wildlife. So do domestic cats. Research the information.

 

Sorry, Graham, but the hypocrisy is massive. Bells or no bells on your pussy.

[NB Alnwick]

Mink represent an appalling threat to indigenous wildlife. So do domestic cats. Research the information.

 

Sorry, Graham, but the hypocrisy is massive. Bells or no bells on your pussy.

 

It would be interesting to see the research that you are referring to - our cat does kill mice from time to time and the occasional rat or shrew but these instances are quite rare. I am not saying that cats do not chase after and kill smaller creatures but they have been kept as domestic pets for more than 5,000 years and it is only in the last 25 years or so that we have started to be concerned about their predatory habits.

[churchward]

Most of us seem to agree that they should be eradicated and we now know how best to do this but do we know how serious a threat they are? Last year a family of mink took at least one, possibly two, of the nine cygnets that we had at Cropredy and they took them when they were quite large - almost fully grown.

 

We have seen them take adult moorhens too. What danger do they pose to pet cats and dogs and larger wild animals such as hedgehogs, stoats and badgers? Would they try to get into a boat and if successful what damage might the cause?

Even if there were no Mink in the UK young Swans would be taken as prey by one animal or another. It's called nature it happens. What is dangerous is not the taking of one or two from a single brood but the driving out of native species by direct predation, competition of food sources, introducing disease or changing of the environment to make it unsuitable for the native species to exist.

 

 

 

It would be interesting to see the research that you are referring to - our cat does kill mice from time to time and the occasional rat or shrew but these instances are quite rare. I am not saying that cats do not chase after and kill smaller creatures but they have been kept as domestic pets for more than 5,000 years and it is only in the last 25 years or so that we have started to be concerned about their predatory habits.

How do you know that you always see the result of the cats activities and therefore how many kills it makes? The issue here is not that one cat makes kills but the density of the population of cats in any one area. Such an effective predator in large numbers can have an effect on the local population of the kind of creatures it will prey on. On the outskirts of large or even modest towns can be a significant number of cats all killing just a "few" animals but those few multiplied by the number of cats becomes significant.

 

I like cats, I have a rescued one myself but to think that they can't possibly do any harm (at least when they are in their prime) is wrong. The argument that we have had them around us as pets for 5000 years is fundamentally flawed in that there were many, many fewer cats around because the human population was also hugely much smaller than it is now.

Edited July 6, 2009 by churchward

[Natalie Graham]

Our cat, 'GC' (above) gave up catching birds when we adopted him - these days he prefers to eat biscuits.

That's interesting as I have had two cats now that have been living on what they could catch before I got them and neither has shown any inclination to chase birds, or anything else, once they moved in. It's as if they can retire once they have someone to feed them. The previous one was completely oblivious to birds, I even saw a blackbird stand on him, and the current one seems to be a bit frightened of them. He was living in a supermarket car park before I got him and there were some very aggressive gulls that used to fight over anything edible they could find lying about, so maybe that explains it.

 

As to mink, we used to have a lot round here and the rat population declined markedly. Now the rats are back and I haven't seen a mink for ages. I don't know what the correlation is but it appears there is one.

 

Someone mentioned trappers employed by BW. Does this mean we will see a proliferation of canal-side log cabins inhabited by bearded old-timers dressed in buckskin, setting trap-lines, and loading mink onto the backs of mules?

[Ike]

I am not saying that cats do not chase after and kill smaller creatures but they have been kept as domestic pets for more than 5,000 years and it is only in the last 25 years or so that we have started to be concerned about their predatory habits.

But that isn't to say they weren't always a problem, in the late 1800s it's more than likely the entire population of Stephens Islands Wrens were made extinct by cats. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot more species that have gone the same way...

[carlt]

Someone mentioned trappers employed by BW. Does this mean we will see a proliferation of canal-side log cabins inhabited by bearded old-timers dressed in buckskin, setting trap-lines, and loading mink onto the backs of mules?

This is the press photo of BW's first recruit, during retraining to teach him to stalk mink, not wabbits.

 

[Dominic M]

It would be interesting to see the research that you are referring to - our cat does kill mice from time to time and the occasional rat or shrew but these instances are quite rare. I am not saying that cats do not chase after and kill smaller creatures but they have been kept as domestic pets for more than 5,000 years and it is only in the last 25 years or so that we have started to be concerned about their predatory habits.

Firstly I want to make it clear that I don't "hate" cats. But then I don't "hate" mink either. After all, the problems caused by both are the result of human activity in the first place.

 

Churchward answers your point about concerns about the predatory nature of cats and their damage to indigenous wildlife, but as for research there is a good deal out there. This extract from an American research group in Wisconsin for example, for those who think that bells on a cat is the answer: "Bells are mostly ineffective in preventing predation because, even if the bell rings, it's usually too late for the prey being stalked."

 

And this from the Mammal Society's research in Britain, via the BBC: "A survey by The Mammal Society in 2003 estimated that of the 275 million animals caught by cats each year, 55 million are birds."

 

I think those latter numbers probably make the mink look like Mother Theresa in comparison with darling moggy.

 

"Well, MY cat doesn't do that!!"

 

Yeah, right.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Dominic M

[carlt]

In defence of cats (though I don't like the grumpy beasts, personally) I used to help out with various natural history surveys including a national cat prey survey which was responsible for locating previously unknown populations of dormice, harvest mice and slow worms.

 

Studies into the feeding habits of our predators (wild and semi-domesticated) are often the most effective means of monitoring the distribution of our more shy critters.

Edited July 7, 2009 by carlt