Stoat Snippet number 15
Welcome to the fifteenth weekly stoat snippet, the first one of 2018. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
This snippet is a short update on progress on both the Orkney Native Wildlife Project and the Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project, as well as addressing any concerns that folk have raised with ourselves and SNH.
Orkney Native Wildlife Project
In January, our programme of consultation events will continue with the first tomorrow, Friday 5th January, from 1pm-6pm at the St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall. It will be a drop-in family event with games, arts and crafts where you can learn more about the Orkney Native Wildlife Project while having fun and a chance to speak to some of the staff involved in this project. There will also be a public talk and Q & A session in the St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall from 7.30 until 8.30. No need to book and all welcome.
Other events coming up in the next week are:
• Monday 8th January, 1-6 pm, Consultation drop-in, as well as kids activities, Stromness Library.
• Monday 8th January, 7.30 – 8 pm, Public talk, Stromness Library.
• Friday 12th January, 2 – 7 pm, Consultation drop-in plus kids activities - Gable End, Hoy
• Friday 12th January 8 – 8.45 pm, Public Talk, Gable End, Hoy.
To keep up-to-date with upcoming community consultation events, please take a look at our Facebook page or future blogs. For more information about these events, phone 01856 875302 or 01856 850176 or email north@snh.gov.uk or orkney@rspb.org.uk.
And if you haven’t already had the chance to do so, we’d be very grateful if you could fill out our community consultation questionnaire which is available online at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ONWP or as a paper version which can be found at various locations around Orkney.
As explained in the previous Stoat Snippet, the trapping trial is now up and running in three areas between Finstown and Kirkwall and all landowner permissions have been gained. Thanks to all who have allowed these trials to go ahead on your land.
Three trap types are being tested with various baits and lures to see what works best here in Orkney in various habitat types. All traps have passed the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS) test for humaneness.
The three trap types are as follows:
Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project
This project is continuing in 5 coastal areas of the Orkney Mainland with the aim to reduce the number of stoats in these areas making them less likely to want to disperse and swim to other islands. These areas are not thought to have high densities of stoats. Five monthly checks have now been completed since August, with the next happening this month. We have caught 15 stoats in total in this time.
Potential incursion responses
Hoy – RSPB Scotland have had two members of staff posted on the island over the Christmas period to continue and extend the trapping and monitoring effort. Thanks again to all those landowners that have allowed us access to their land. No further stoat sightings or signs have been confirmed.
If you have any comments or concerns please contact north@snh.gov.uk or orkney@rspb.org.uk.
Please keep reporting any sightings of stoats, whether on the Mainland or outer isles, as soon as possible, to SNH by calling 01856 886163, by emailing north@snh.gov.uk or through the ‘Stoats in Orkney’ Facebook page.