wild mink

[Bodger]

North American import Ian .
Absolute killing machines but quite easy to trap if people will leave the traps alone !

[eeyore]

a couple of days ago I saw a mink struggling backwards out of a hole in the river bank, and was horrified to see that it had a kingfisher in its mouth. I had my OTT Fenman .25 with me so as soon as i could get a clear shot, I head jobbed the mink. I forded the river and grabbed the kingy intending to take it to a wildlife hospital but sadly I was too late, an artery had been severed and it died in my hands - absolutely tragic, I was nearly in tears....

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

I hear it has been decided that Mink are to be wiped out in Britain, and about time to They have been a nightmare for Native species such as Water Vole

[life through a lens]

Surely its about time someone sat these so called 'animal rights' activists down and gave them a proper education in the effects their crusades are having. If that fails they should herd them all up and release them into an unknown environment, preferrably one full of dangerous predators !!

Incedently I came across one at Dinton Pastures (a mink not a do-gooder) last night. It ran out onto the path, stared at me for a minute, and then swaggered off again. Just hope it was a loner and that there aren't too many taking out the local birds.

[eeyore]

I've been blasting them for many years (mink not do gooders) but they breed so quick erredication will be damn near impossible. If you saw one the odds are that there are about 20.

[ian_g]

Am I right in saying that they were 'introduced' in Britain some time ago though? Seem to recall seeing a wildlife book in the 70s with them being stated as a wild animal of this country. What kind of stronghold do they have for I have never encountered one.

Ian G

[eeyore]

They were "introduced" originally by escapes from fur farms - however their numbers were boosted in the 70s and 80s by animal liberation people releasing them from fur farms en masse. Liberty for the mink - absolute disaster for UK ecosystems - another well thought out plan

basically they are pretty much everwhere except for the lake district and the mountains of scotland and wales. they have linear territories along rivers and are crespuscular normaly so regular daylight sightings are indicative of a very high population.

I dont like killing things but if something aint done about the mink soon we can wabe goodbye to the watervole and probably to a number of birds also.

[Airehead]

For some reason I find it rather saddening that anyone would ever have imagined that the mink was indigenous to this country.

I said I would like them to be wiped out, and Lincs Y suggests it has been decided to do so. Unfortunately, I don't think there is the smallest chance of success. It has spread to the Scottish Highlands, at least by the coast. It is at home throughout the British Isles.
Funnily enough, the last one I saw was in the middle of a small town. I was driving past and don't know where it went.

And here's a thought - devastating though mink may be on land, signal crayfish are far more devastating to some of our indigenous underwater life. It just doesn't happen to be as visible.

[ian_g]

Originally Posted by Airehead

For some reason I find it rather saddening that anyone would ever have imagined that the mink was indigenous to this country.

It's just a wildlife book I had Airehead that stated it was found in the wild. I'd hardly say it was saddening though, for someone like me who reads publications such as this, I'll take it as being true. Yes, it's ignorance on my part, to an extent, but I'm here to learn about things and it's only since joining this forum that I have began to learn.

Having never seen a mink, I've never felt the need to find out more about them, so please don't criticise me for my ignorance.

Ian G

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by ian_g

It's just a wildlife book I had Airehead that stated it was found in the wild. I'd hardly say it was saddening though, for someone like me who reads publications such as this, I'll take it as being true. Yes, it's ignorance on my part, to an extent, but I'm here to learn about things and it's only since joining this forum that I have began to learn.

Having never seen a mink, I've never felt the need to find out more about them, so please don't criticise me for my ignorance.

Ian G

Fair point Ian, it is an easy assumption to make , particularly as there is also a european mink (but this is not found here at all, just on the continent). The book is absolutely correct that they are "found in the wild" cos like i said the flipping things are everywhere, however it doesnt automatically follow that they are indigenous or that there preence is desirable.

for more info on the mink follow this link http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/ma...more_info.html