Mink

The American Mink (Mustela vison) has made its presence felt in parts of Maryculter this year. Sightings have increased, and local residents unaccustomed to them, are concerned. Many residents of Maryculter are accustomed, having seen them over the years due to releases from the now-abandoned mink farm at Burnside. Their apparent spread may be due to a successful breeding season with the mild weather or the persistent lack of water in many burns changing their hunting grounds, (or both). The time has come for a few Mink facts:

• Mink are not native to the U.K. They were introduced to this country with the fur-farming industry 50 years ago, and a combination of escapes by these wily creatures and deliberate releases by highly irresponsible animal-rights activists has led to them slipping into our ecosystem.
  
  
• Mink are not a direct threat to humans. Like most wild animals, mink will give humans a wide berth, but also, like most scared animals with sharp teeth, will defend itself if cornered. Stories of Mink entering people's homes are deemed highly unlikely according to experts who study these animals.
  
  
• Mink are not roaming the countryside. Their habitat is water courses, and as a result, they are never seen far from our coasts, rivers and streams.
  
  
• Mink are highly versatile and efficient predators. They can swim, dive and climb trees giving them access to a wide variety of prey. They represent the greatest threat to species which are normally inaccessible to our native predators: Their swimming abilities give them access to nesting waterbirds and their size allows them access to Water Vole burrows.

Hope?

Although it is now unlikely that we will ever rid the U.K. of Mink, as they are now too widespread, there are perhaps two rays of hope in our area regarding this destructive invader:

1. The river Dee is designated by The European Commission (EC) as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC UK0030251) for the purposes of protecting populations of Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), and Otter (Lutra lutra). It is being proposed (by Scottish Natural Heritage, on behalf of the Scottish Office) that this SAC be extended to cover a significant part of the Crynoch Burn extending from the River Dee to Burnside, Maryculter (the epicentre of the Mink releases). Although there is no established scientific link, it is widely believed that successful Otter populations displace Mink populations. Perhaps if the Otters in the area become protected and thrive, they can reduce or drive out the incumbent Mink.
   
   
2. By recording sightings of Mink and Water Voles (which the Mink play a large part in eradicating), a case may be made for protection of the Water Voles at the expense of the Mink. North East Scotland is one of the few remaining areas in the U.K with significant (albeit dwindling) numbers of Water Voles. Research by North-East Scotland Biodiversity Local Biodiversity Action Plan into Water Voles and Mink is ongoing in the Ythan and Deveron catchments but as not as yet on the Dee. (You too can help - download sighting record forms here).

Other links: anti-mink and/or pro-water vole

• BBC article "Uniting against mink"

• Joint Nature Conservancy Council case for water voles to be added to SSSI criteria (PDF)
  
  
• Mink and hunting
  
  
• Scottish Voles head for the hills? (By Scottish Natural Heritage for the Mountaineering Council of Scotland)
  
  
• Alien invaders
  
  
• Scottish Natural Heritage's Hebridean Mink Project
  
  
• They eat fish too!
  
  
• Scottish Wildlife Trust water vole stuff here and here.
  
  
• "Ratty hangs on" North-East Scotland Biodiversity LBAP press release (PDF)

Thanks due to: Bill Fraser (Maryculter Community Councillor), Maria Hardy (North-East Biodiversity) and Dr. David Bale (Scottish Natural Heritage) for their kind assistance.