Edinburgh’s mink menace prompts call for mass cull
COUNCILLORS are to consider a major cull of the invasive mink that are moving into urban areas in Scotland.
The American predators have laid waste to fish and vole populations in recent years and infiltrated every waterway in Edinburgh.
The carnivores, which were imported in 1929 to set up fur farms and are notorious for attacking native wildlife, have flourished in the waterways of the Water of Leith, Leith Docks and the Union Canal.
A report to the council estimates it would cost £4,200 per kilometre to eradicate the mink, and that there are 72kms of watercourse habitat for the species. It would take up to five years to trap and humanely kill the mink – described as “indiscriminate” killers – and cost more than £300,000 per year.
Mark McInnes, Conservative councillor for the Meadows and Morningside, said a number of local residents have raised concerns about the creatures, which can be vicious when confronted.
“I propose that there are further reports on how to deal with this ongoing problem. I appreciate it is difficult to address because of the sheer numbers of them – there will be hundreds by now – and because of the way they are able to adapt. But people, especially along the [Union] canal, have said it has got much worse over the past few years.”
In his report to Edinburgh City Council’s environmental committee, director of services for communities Mark Turley wrote: “Mink are highly adaptable predators and can affect prey which do not form an essential part of their diet.
“Consequently, a decline in the population of one prey species will cause mink to switch to an alternative prey.”
He added: “An eradication programme would need to be long-term for the same reason.”
Last month, one Edinburgh resident, retired manufacturing manager Alistair Lucas, reported having hundreds of pounds worth of fish go missing from his garden pond in East Craigs.
His collection of four large koi carp, each more than 20 years old, disappeared earlier this year despite being protected by netting.
“It had to be something that could swim in the pond, which cats don’t do,” Lucas said at the time.
Councillors will decide whether to approve the cull on Tuesday.
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Comments
There are 22 comments to this article
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Snoopy1
Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 06:05 PM#21 what about our owen "Loch-Ness Monster,has any body tried to eradicate "Nessy".To put joking aside,i do not think that the Mink problem has reached epidemic proportions yet,as i have already stated,there are other species out there that predate on other specieces,such as the Otter on fish in our rivers and waterways,but have not heard people wanting to eradicate them for taking fish and somtimes ground nesting birds eggs,what about the hedgehog they also take ground nesting birds eggs and somtimes there young to,do we want to cull them as well,the reason Mink are excellent all round predators is this they are excellent swimmers and can take prey species in the water as well as on dry land. I rest my case,let mother nature take care of the problems, she knows best.How would the human race feel if aliens decided to eradicate the human race for the damage that we have done to the planet,how would we all feel about that , say no more,live & let live that is what i believe in,we are all here for a purpose,but somtimes i have my doubts.
AuldLochinvar
Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 03:28 PMThe Everglades are threatened by Burmese pythons that people had kept as pets.
AuldLochinvar
Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 03:27 PMIt looks as if we have a classic case of "invasive exotic species" in Scotland, like the Japanese Kudzu in the USA, or the whin bushes and rabbits in Australia. I dare say that mink go for either the commonest or the easiest prey. So I doubt that their predation upon rats will make up for their depredations elsewhere.
Snoopy1
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 01:14 PMJust to add to this Mr Lucas the preditors you are having problems with are most likely to be human,could you aswerer me this question,did your fish all disapear at the same time,and was the netting intacted,if so i would put it down to theft by Homo sapiens, they are very cunnining preditors,what you need is a man trap or big dog either will do the job, i do not think you have a mink problem,but hope you are able to get it sorted out .
Snoopy1
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 12:24 PMThe reason that the City of Edinburgh Council Councillors are getting worried is because they have been told that they dispatch rats very effectively,it is a matter of self preservation. It was like the story that was going about a few years back that Duddingston Loch had Lutra lutra residing in its water,and that was proved to be "Otter Nonsense" as usual when it comes as utterings from councillors,who are town rats who know nothing about country matters,they want to get out more and learn thing about country matters.Why just pick on the mink there are other Mustelidae out there who are highly efficient preditors who predate on other species,it as all part of mother natures patchwork quilt. What about Mustela erminea the Stoat,where would there noble lordships get there ermin from for there noble robes,an other example what about wiping out Martes martes the Pine marten in the Highlands of Scotland,how much tourist revenue would be lost from people who go on holiday to see them,what about the Mustela putorius the Polcat i do not think the poeple of Wales would be happy about that,what about the Osprey they are preditors they take fish,why not eradicate them,and one other thing where will the fur come from for the fur coats of Edinburgh,being the city of furcoats and no drawers,i rest my case.
Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 01:26 PM#9: I AM condoning the farms. Best place for them. Breed them, skin them, make coats out of them. simple. If the so-called "animal rights" nutters hadn't released them then we wouldn't have this problem. Like has already been said, such unwashed loonies have absolutely no idea of how wildlife behaves, especially something as vicious as a mink.
Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 01:23 PM#13: What the hell are you on about?
Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 01:22 PMThe best place for mink is as part of a coat... And this kind of thing proves it.
Wotan Bickersdyke
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 12:17 PMThere may be more to this report than at first appears. It's well known that members of Edinburgh's shadowy Speculative Society like nothing better than dressing up as mink and slithering along the city's waterways, savaging everything in their path with their terrible sharp seven-inch fangs. Ban them, I say!
Peripatetic Pensioner
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 10:09 PMHow about getting rid of non native tobacco products, I´ll vote for that.
Ron Greer
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 08:55 PM11 Jerrymanders Aye, the non native mink might have eaten the non native Koi, but would that be as bad as the non nattive Scotch Lamb( sheep are not native) eating the non native Ayrshire potatoes( South American tuber) and the non native Scotch tomatoes ( a South American relative of the spud)? Or would it be even more disturbing to think tat the biggest source of non native invasive plants is the governments own forestry policy!?
jerrymanders
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 08:29 PMI'll bet the Koi were stolen to order!
Tom M.
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 07:12 PMAmerican minks.....I blame George Bush....
kilrenny
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 06:44 PMit was so called well meaning activists who attacked the farms and released the mink that has caused the prob. shows how much they know of animal behaviour. I am not condoning the farms but animal rights have to take some blame
busbyfth
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 02:34 PM# 2 Please take the chip from one's shoulder.
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