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Alastair

By Alastair
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Alastair Rising Star

Alastair

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I was working away on computer - scuttle scuttle, something running about on the roof.

 

Looked out of the window just in time to see a mink jump down from the roof and sit on my sidedecks, no more than 6" away from me. It sat up, then jumped onto my pontoon, scuttled about and plopped into the water.

 

I know they are introduced vermin, but they sure look cute. Mittens, anyone?

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Gary Peacock Veteran

Gary Peacock

Posted
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I was working away on computer - scuttle scuttle, something running about on the roof.

 

Looked out of the window just in time to see a mink jump down from the roof and sit on my sidedecks, no more than 6" away from me. It sat up, then jumped onto my pontoon, scuttled about and plopped into the water.

 

I know they are introduced vermin, but they sure look cute. Mittens, anyone?

 

Your not alone we've got them too!

Everybody says I should shoot them but I aren't particularly into shooting things just for the sake of it.

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Big COL Proficient

Big COL

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Gary

 

Shooting Mink

 

Think of it as protecting our native wildlife, the mink has no natural predator in this country. As cute as they look they are one vicious animal. Without some culling taking place they will decimate our wildlife and also some of our domesticated pets. If allowed to breed unchecked they will become to our wildlife what myxomatosis has become to rabbits.

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Guest

Guest

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If there was ever a case for hunting with hounds, mink are it. Stags, foxes, otters, hares - No! But when it comes to mink - let the dogs out!

I have never seen any, but have read about their existence on other sites. They are a pain in the rear it seems, and something needs to be done. Brought here purely for vanity reasons, anyone know the reason that they roam freely?

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Big COL Proficient

Big COL

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I have never seen any, but have read about their existence on other sites. They are a pain in the rear it seems, and something needs to be done. Brought here purely for vanity reasons, anyone know the reason that they roam freely?

 

It's still an ongoing argument. The Mink farmers blame the animal lib lobby. There is evidence that the animal lib did set free mink that were being farmed for fur. Not the brightest of moves considering the animal in question. To be fair it was probably the radical side of the animal lib that did this. Once the reality had set in just what the results to our own wildlife could/would be, they then blamed the mink farmers for setting them free, as the fur trade had been destroyed by their actions.

All this started 30/40 years ago, the mink have taken a strong foot hold in this country since then, apportioning blame will now serve no purpose. They are now established, total eradication is not possible nor should it be considered. What does need to be done is for the numbers to be culled. Like rabbits if you were to kill every one that you could find they still would not die out. If they did the mink that is, it will have only restored natures natural animal balance for this country.

Edited by Big COL
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Bones Veteran

Bones

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Anyone got any pictures of these?! Sounds fabulous.... the only thing that ventures on my roof is soot, although a heron did strut up the pontoon the other day and stare intently in the hedge - I was almost tempted to go and join it!

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Guest

Guest

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It's still an ongoing argument. The Mink farmers blame the animal lib lobby. There is evidence that the animal lib did set free mink that were being farmed for fur. Not the brightest of moves considering the animal in question. To be fair it was probably the radical side of the animal lib that did this. Once the reality had set in just what the results to our own wildlife could/would be, they then blamed the mink farmers for setting them free, as the fur trade had been destroyed by their actions.

All this started 30/40 years ago, the mink have taken a strong foot hold in this country since then, apportioning blame will now serve no purpose. They are now established, total eradication is not possible nor should it be considered. What does need to be done is for the numbers to be culled. Like rabbits if you were to kill every one that you could find they still would not die out. If they did the mink that is, it will have only restored natures natural animal balance for this country.

That is roughly the story I have heard/read whatever. Irresponsible actions whatever. There are many other creatures however that are not native to our country. Anybody seen terrapins in the canal? There are a few around-if you find a friendly fisherman (two this year!) ask them, they report quite a few sightings.

Edited by Guest
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Sam Rising Star

Sam

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Dear All,

 

Mink are bad.

 

We have a *big* pond at our house, well it is called a lake with an island to put it into perspective.

 

We had lots of ducks etc.. BUT over about a week we lost about 10 of them. All of them died in a certain way.

 

We found them dead on the bank, on the island and also floating in the water and every single one of them was headless.

 

It is known that mink will bite of the head of its victim and try to eat it 'inside' out.. which it seemed to be doing in some cases but some of the ducks it kills for just something to do.

 

These are not nice creatures and if you have them.. get something done about them.

 

Sam

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Carrie Proficient

Carrie

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It's ironic you should mention mink and myxamatosis together, Col.

 

Both have been introduced deliberately by man. The reason mink have no natural predators here is that they don't come from here (Canada and north America; think there is a Russian kind too?)

Of course, releasing mink into the wild may not have been a great ALF (animal liberation front) idea but perhaps seemed kinder than the conveyor belt fur-farm they inhabited before. I don't know.

 

But it's a bit like nuclear power - you have to be prepared for what happens if whatever you're keeping in, gets out one day.

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Bones Veteran

Bones

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That is roughly the story I have heard/read whatever. Irresponsible actions whatever. There are many other creatures however that are not native to our country. Anybody seen terrapins in the canal? There are a few around-if you find a friendly fisherman (two this year!) ask them, they report quite a few sightings.

 

 

and crocs in the cotswolds!!!!!

 

It's ironic you should mention mink and myxamatosis together, Col.

 

Both have been introduced deliberately by man. The reason mink have no natural predators here is that they don't come from here (Canada and north America; think there is a Russian kind too?)

Of course, releasing mink into the wild may not have been a great ALF (animal liberation front) idea but perhaps seemed kinder than the conveyor belt fur-farm they inhabited before. I don't know.

 

But it's a bit like nuclear power - you have to be prepared for what happens if whatever you're keeping in, gets out one day.

 

 

can we eat them? [ducks(as in action rather than species)]

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Big COL Proficient

Big COL

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It's ironic you should mention mink and myxamatosis together, Col.

 

Both have been introduced deliberately by man. The reason mink have no natural predators here is that they don't come from here (Canada and north America; think there is a Russian kind too?)

Of course, releasing mink into the wild may not have been a great ALF (animal liberation front) idea but perhaps seemed kinder than the conveyor belt fur-farm they inhabited before. I don't know.

 

But it's a bit like nuclear power - you have to be prepared for what happens if whatever you're keeping in, gets out one day.

 

Carrie

It was quite deliberate Myxie was mans interference with nature, did it work, did it hell, just as many rabbits, only thousands suffer an awful death. The mink will become the same problem as the rabbits were back in the fifties. What strain of death could they come up with specific to mink I wonder. I have said this before, what animal rights did they consider when they released them into the wild? certainly not those of the thousands of animals that have been slaughtered by these mink. It's a total c--k up and it needs addressing quickly. I shoot magpies as many as I can, why? well where I live in the last 20 years the population of finches, tits, and songbirds, has decreased noticeably. I know what you will say that's the insecticide killing off their food chain, strange that it's not interfered with the magpies, they have grown in number. Magpies are nest marauders, and like the mink they are winning.

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dor Veteran II

dor

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We had lots of ducks etc.. BUT over about a week we lost about 10 of them. All of them died in a certain way.

 

Although the hunting lobby wont admit it, many of the cases you here about where chickens have been massacred by 'foxes' are in fact the result of attacks by mink or their close relatives the polecat (which is native).

 

They are visious killers that will attack for the sake of it.

 

Pity really as they are quite attractive animals, like a small otter.

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ChrisK Engager

ChrisK

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That is roughly the story I have heard/read whatever. Irresponsible actions whatever. There are many other creatures however that are not native to our country. Anybody seen terrapins in the canal? There are a few around-if you find a friendly fisherman (two this year!) ask them, they report quite a few sightings.

 

 

How about this - a terrapin on the Calder & Hebble navigation between Salterhebble Locks and Sowerby Bridge:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...&cmd=si&img=610

 

I have also seen a mink on the towpath on the same pound

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CanalWalker Rising Star

CanalWalker

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the mink has no natural predator in this country

 

Luckily that is incorrect. the recovery of the british otter population is bad news for mink who make a tasty treat for otters!

i will try and find a photo of a mink seen this year...

 

Seen this year on the Shropshire Union canal at Beeston Iron Lock.

 

Mink

 

Mink

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Big COL Proficient

Big COL

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Posted (edited)

Luckily that is incorrect. the recovery of the british otter population is bad news for mink who make a tasty treat for otters!

i will try and find a photo of a mink seen this year...

 

Seen this year on the Shropshire Union canal at Beeston Iron Lock.

 

Mink

 

Mink

 

No natural predator is correct. The otter like the mink is territorial, being a territorial mammal the otter will defend his territory and will kill mink if that territory is invaded. This does not make an otter a natural predator of mink, they do coexist. the otter is a natural predator of fish, shellfish, and water voles and any small mammals (nice of the waterways to reintroduce water voles I bet the otters are pleased). There must be some mink taken by large Hawks but this does not make them a natural predator.

By natural predator I meant an animal whose staple diet is mink. Something to keep the balance at a reasonable level. I am only too pleased to see the otter numbers growing and may they keep doing so. The next complaint will then be from the fishermen who will complain that there are no fish.

Talking of Territorial animals I once witnessed a fight between a swan and a Canada goose. I would have bet that the swan would win. It didn't the goose killed the swan, and the swans partner abandoned the nest, one of the saddest things I have seen on the canals.

Edited by Big COL
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