Stoat Snippet 3
Welcome to the third 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.
Orkney Native Wildlife Project
The ONWP has successfully recruited a Project Development Officer (PDO) to the project and she will start next week. The PDO will have an important role over the next 6-9 months, helping us to deliver community engagement and consultation, trapping trials, developing a citizen science programme to monitor wildlife and the production of the project Activity Plan (all the events and activities decided through consultation that will happen during the main project).
Orkney Mainland Predator Invasion Biosecurity Project
Our contractors have been in Orkney to check the Mainland traps a second time. Several stoats have been caught over the past two weeks, as well as some rats. All the traps have been reset and left in position, to be checked again in another two weeks.
Rousay potential incursion response
The traps on Rousay have been checked three times now. No stoats have been trapped and the camera traps have not revealed any stoat activity. The Orkney Native Wildlife Project team met this week to review the Rousay trapping and have decided to retain the traps in position for a wee while longer, and to put in place a couple more camera traps. Providing no stoats, or signs of stoats, are recorded then the traps will be removed from Rousay, following a second review.
There have been no further reports of possible stoat sightings on Rousay, which is positive news.
Although the camera traps haven’t recorded any stoats, they have recorded other species from around Rousay. Can you spot the rat hidden in this photo?
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.