Heading South for the Winter
For the first time, the Waterlife Recovery Trust (WRT) has demonstrated the possibility of eradicating, rather than simply controlling, American mink. This is exciting news for the conservation community and anyone who is passionate about protecting our native wildlife from invasive species. Right now, the WRT is rolling out its eradication project across South London, with trap coverage to be completed by the end of the winter.
Total mink eradication requires the extensive distribution of specialised traps. It is therefore fantastic news that the Mayor of London has joined forces with the People’s Trust For Endangered Species to sponsor the further rollout of the WRT’s project to cover the whole of South London. This builds on the excellent work carried out last year covering the city’s North and forms part of the London Water Vole Recovery Project, coordinated by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
The South London project started at the end of May 2024 and we hope to roll out traps rapidly throughout the rest of this summer and autumn. Excellent progress has already been made in partnership with numerous enthusiastic organisations, landowners and volunteers in the area.
You may be wondering: “Are there actually any mink in South London?”. The answer is yes! Pictured below is one of the most recent captures. She clearly had delusions of grandeur as she was living near Hampton Court Palace – the former home of Henry VIII.
Mink are impressive animals and each time we catch one we have to remind ourselves why we are working to eradicate them – they are very aggressive and skilled predators of our native wildlife. Removing a single American mink from the environment will save the lives of dozens or even hundreds of water voles, kingfishers, waterfowl, waders and other native species.
Even if we think that there are currently no mink in a particular area, it is just as important to have trap coverage there. Firstly, we need to confirm their current absence – some landowners think that they have no mink until we put a trap out and catch one! Secondly, we must eliminate the possibility that mink could return to an un-trapped area, seek refuge and breed.
One of the particular challenges that comes with operating in urban areas is that most of South London is heavily populated. At first glance, you may think there isn’t a square metre of land that isn’t constantly visited by people (and dogs!) who could interfere with the trap. However, if you look hard enough, it is quite amazing how many quiet spots there are to be found. Some of our traps are deployed only a few metres from a busy footpath and yet are completely lost in the foliage. Other landowners with large publicly accessible waterfronts also have a handy private area where a trap can be placed. We even have a trap in someone’s garden where it backs onto a river!
If you live in the South London area and would like to be involved in this exciting project, we would love to hear from you. Please make contact with us via the WRT website: https://www.waterliferecoverytrust.org.uk/.
Rob Martin
South London WRT Project Officer
Featured image by: Gary Knight
Related Posts
If you enjoyed reading this, then please explore our other articles below:
