Welcome to the fifth 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 RSPB Scotland and SNH.
Quick update
Orkney Native Wildlife Project
You’ll remember that as part of the project development, we will be running trapping trials.
The trials will test a variety of humane traps in different habitats to help us determine whether the planned methods work and the best way to ensure the maximum chance of eradication once the full project starts.
We have just appointed a contractor to do the trapping trial, so will have more news on this in the coming weeks.
Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project
Our contractors have finished the latest (third) round of Mainland trap checks and have successfully trapped more stoats.
The Biosecurity trapping will continue until the full eradication is up and running. It is essential to try to prevent stoats reaching the outer isles.
Potential incursion responses
Rousay: The traps and extra camera traps are still out on Rousay. They've been checked again. So with five checks in total since the beginning of August, no stoats have been caught and there have been no further reports of possible stoat sightings, which is positive news.
Hoy: We’ve now got some traps, remote cameras and monitoring tubes out on Hoy to try to confirm whether the reports of sightings are correct. Other than the recent sightings by local residents, there is currently no evidence of stoats being on Hoy, so the cameras and monitoring tubes are needed to confirm if they are present. A big thank you to the landowners for their support and permission to place equipment on their land.
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.