Protecting our native wildlife: controlling American Mink
There’s no doubt the subject of invasive species can be challenging, especially within conservation. Our native species are at risk from a multitude of threats including climate change, habitat loss, and pollution, to name a few. One way or another, the trail of breadcrumbs inevitably leads back to one common denominator: human interference. Adding to this sombre list is the tale of the non-native invasives, with the unfortunate, slinky villain of the piece often being the American Mink (pictured above).
A member of the Mustelid family, so related to Badgers and Otters, Mink were intentionally released, or escaped, from British fur farms in the 1950s and 1960s. Since then, these semi-aquatic carnivores have been romping about the countryside and waterways, gobbling up pretty much anything they can get their chops on and causing general ecosystem chaos. Amongst other threats, a species which has taken a heavy Mink-based hit is the Water Vole. Once a staple of British rivers, these charismatic nibblers are now dwindling and are listed as endangered on the conservation Red List for both Great Britain and England.
It is, of course, not the Mink’s fault that they are such dynamic predators, but they should never have been introduced here. Our native species have not evolved to coexist with Mink, whereas they have developed strategies around native predators such as Otter and Marsh Harrier. In working to undo our wrongs, and to preserve and restore populations of our precious native wildlife, conservation organisations are often required to make difficult choices. These include how to manage invasive species, whether this be removing beautiful but habitat-invading Himalayan Balsam, reporting sightings of Asian Hornets to protect our native bumblebees, or by controlling the population of American Mink.
At Rye Harbour Nature Reserve (RHNR), such efforts to protect and recover our native populations are well underway. As a significantly protected area with a mosaic of habitats, the site supports a precious ecosystem and over 4,500 species. Along with our pal the Water Vole, these include many ground nesting birds, such as Little Tern, Oystercatcher, and Ringed Plover, all of which carry a conservation protection status, and all of which are vulnerable to predation by American Mink.
Several Mink traps have been installed across the reserve, and the team work in collaboration with the Waterlife Recovery Trust, who specialise in Mink eradication projects. These live-catch traps are fitted with modern devices that send an immediate notification when an animal is trapped to a designated RHNR staff member to ensure swift action is taken. Using Mink scent as a lure increases the effectiveness of attracting Mink, and the use of live-catch traps ensures non-target species are released unharmed. Sussex Wildlife Trust staff tasked with this are trained to BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) standard and have completed training on Mink trapping and humane despatch, in adherence with best practice. The process is regularly and professionally scrutinised, with animal welfare being of the upmost importance.
Using this evidence-based conservation approach, the RHNR team are aiming to effectively control the population of American Mink to the benefit of many species that call the reserve home. Conservation action is at its most successful when working collaboratively, and a long-term goal is to increase connectivity with nearby sites on a larger scale eradication programme, to ensure the future of our valuable native wildlife.
If you see an American Mink, please report the sighting to the Waterlife Recovery Trust and to the Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre via iRecord, to help us understand the whereabouts and size of the population.
Comments
Very pleased to hear what you are doing to control invasive species. Keep up the good work!
10 Apr 2025 10:55:00
Very pleased to read this news.
Eradication/elimination might be difficult to achieve, but it is well worth the effort to try.
Wishing you all the very best in your work, and hope you are as successful at hunting the American Mink as they are at hunting precious indigenous species !
Here in New Zealand we face a multitude of introduced species from both the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia. These introduced species have acclimatised, become feral, and in every case, are
thriving on our native species, who have not adapted to new predators at all.
Our list includes: weasels, stoats, pigs, goats, deer [many varieties], rats, mice, rabbits, horses, possums, dogs, and the most lethal of all – CATS.
Sorry, cat lovers, our feral cat problem is huge and becoming dire.
There are very few predators in NZ that can catch these pest invaders – apart from rare surviving native hawks and falcons. The early Settlers shot as many as possible because they believed that these birds were attacking flocks and herds.
We are finding success with: predator-proof fences designed to isolate areas for native species’ protection.
Constant monitoring, tracking, sampling, and trapping – especially designed for the target species. Done mostly by local volunteers and citizen scientists with Department of Conservation assistance.
Professional hunters enjoy the challenge of keeping the numbers of feral mammals down to manageable levels.
We hope to be “Predator Free” at some time in future.
10 Apr 2025 11:27:00
It’s repulsive, humans are invasive not the animals borne on the land. Leave them be, please, they deserve better, contrast fuels evolution.
10 Apr 2025 11:51:00
It would be interesting to know(if recorded) what numbers of mink are caught?
10 Apr 2025 11:56:00
In Hampshire on the chalk streams there are a number of of those indicator boards, where we see little evidence of Otters. Its the Beavers that worry me that have been absent i understand for 400 years and can only be considered an invasive species. We are maybe introducing too manty Beavers around the UK before we fully understand the damage the may create on our rivers.
10 Apr 2025 12:03:00
I’m pleased to hear you’re proactively dealing with invasive species – your article is right they’re a real nuisance – plants are just as bad – I only plant native species in our garden
10 Apr 2025 12:24:00
How do I get a mink trap? My partner thinks she saw one on the property
10 Apr 2025 12:34:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Hi Andrew. Waterlife Recovery Trust is a good place to start. You may find this page on their website helpful: https://www.waterliferecoveryt....
Mink seen in Sussex, on River Rother, in and around Midhurst.
10 Apr 2025 12:56:00
Great work re the mink SWT! Whole swathes of East Anglia have seen this issue eradicated, it’s good to see this being delivered in Sussex as well.
10 Apr 2025 14:16:00
What happens to the mink once caught I wonder?
10 Apr 2025 15:01:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Hi Graham. The live-catch traps are fitted with devices that send an immediate notification to a designated staff member, who will swiftly attend the trap and despatch the Mink. All staff tasked with this are trained to BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) standard and have completed training on Mink trapping and humane despatch.
Keep up the good work, as invasive species are recking havoc with our wildlife. Hopefully we will have more success than America getting rid of the Burmese Pythons from the Everglades.
10 Apr 2025 15:31:00
Excellent work to control and even eradicate Mink which are non-native and do so much damage to our native wildlife.
At a SSSI habitat in the north of Sussex Mink have had a bad impact on nesting Great Crested Grebes and are even known to have scaled trees and taken nesting Jackdaws and Stock Doves out of tree holes or nest boxes.
10 Apr 2025 16:01:00
Why wasn’t the grey squirrel mentioned which probably do far more damage than the above…and it is noticeable that there are no plans to introduce red squirrels into the SWT, presumably because they have not attempted to cull the grey ones
10 Apr 2025 16:23:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Hi David. This blog was just focusing on the topic of American Mink at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve - there are many non-native invasive species in the UK and Grey Squirrels are one of them! SWT does not work on any Red or Grey Squirrel projects currently. You are correct that reintroductions of Reds are only suitable where there is also effective management of Greys, such as this project from Lancashire Wildlife Trust: https://www.lancswt.org.uk/our-work/red-squirrel-conservation.
I think the Wildlife Trust need to be more concerned about the breeding and shooting of non-
native pheasants as the combined mass of these unfortunate birds number more than ALL of
the native species of birds put together. Also the pheasants that are lucky enough to survive
do, unfortunately, have a detrimental affect on other species such as lizards and snakes. We need to BAN all persecution of all creatures.
10 Apr 2025 18:25:00
The people who let these predators out have no idea of conservation.They call themselves Animal rights activists.I know what i would call them.Hope the traps are successful
10 Apr 2025 20:06:00
We had a sighting of a mink on our land near Cowbeech ( Hailsham) in December 2024.We would appreciate an eradication project here.
10 Apr 2025 22:40:00
I live in Eastbourne, in a built up area, but not far from two water sources. Myself and a neighbour had a Mink trying to catch fish from my very small pond. I reported it to the RSPCA, who will only act if it’s injured and Pest control, who did not had it on their’ vermin list!!! I’m keeping my fingers crossed it doesn’t return, particularly as I don’t want a confrontation with my terrier. They are said to be aggressive and quite ferocious . However I did not think to contact Sussex Wildlife for advice. Next time!
11 Apr 2025 09:04:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Hi Sarah. You can report Mink sightings by iRecord: https://irecord.org.uk/ and by reporting to the Waterlife Recovery Trust: https://www.waterliferecoveryt....
It’s good to know that this is going on! Look at what the grey squirrel did when that was introduced to the uk
11 Apr 2025 17:01:00
This is important and impressive work. It can’t be easy, I’m sure. How very sad that human vanity and greed causes such a need for painful action downstream.
13 Apr 2025 08:46:00
This very effective predictor has been seen taking young ducks and moorhens in ponds in our area. Those who think they should be left alone should come a see what that policy leads to. Once a food source is found, they take the lot. They do need to be controlled.
15 Apr 2025 08:45:00
I live in Danehill RH17 7HG, I was looking after my neighbours chickens and something other than a fox and took one and badly injured one, on the outside of the runn the netting had been pulled away from the wood and metal clips pulled off, just as small hole, I showed the picture of the wound on the chicken and my vet said a fox would not of done that and in hospital opinion it was a mink bite, another neighbour has seen 2
17 Apr 2025 17:59:00
I’m pleased to hear you’re proactively dealing with invasive species – your article is right they’re a real nuisance – plants are just as bad – I only plant native species in our garden
21 Apr 2025 18:13:00