Welcome to the fourth weekly stoat snippet!
These snippets will be a short update on progress with 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.
Quick update
Orkney Native Wildlife Project
Our new Project Development Officer, Amy King, is now in post and is raring to get started. She has a wealth of experience in island restoration projects and is thrilled to be returning to Orkney after working here over the summer. She is going to be helping to organise the trapping trial to inform our operational plan for the main eradication project as well as conducting community and stakeholder engagement to ensure everybody’s views are heard.
In September, RSPB Scotland led on submitting a bid to EU LIFE to match-fund the Orkney Native Wildlife Project against the remaining (Stage 2) HLF funding we will bid for in June 2018 to deliver the eradication and community engagement. The LIFE bid was for €3.3m and includes a Biosecurity Officer post to lead on ensuring stoats do not return to Orkney once eradicated. It also includes some professional field surveyors to monitor Orkney’s native wildlife prior, during and after the eradication. We hope to hear the result in the New Year.
Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project
Our contractors are in Orkney to check the Mainland traps again starting today. So we should have more news next week.
Potential incursion responses
Rousay: The traps and extra camera traps are still out on Rousay. They were checked yesterday and will be checked again next week. No stoats have been caught and there have still been no further reports of possible stoat sightings on Rousay, which is positive news.
Hoy: Following two recent possible sightings of stoats being reported on Hoy, we will be putting out camera traps, monitoring tubes and some traps to try to establish if stoats are present. Our warden will start seeking permission from landowners today.
Answering your concerns…
Remember, if you have any comments or concerns please contact north@snh.gov.uk or orkney@rspb.org.uk.
And don't forget to 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.