Scottish National Heritage looks to next phase of Hebridean Mink Project

25/10/2006 00:00:00 The first phase of the Hebridean Mink Project, funded by the EU LIFE Nature fund, has been successfully completed and the focus is now on extending the work to Lewis and Harris, Scottish Natural Heritage has confirmed.

The project to conserve vulnerable ground nesting wading birds has come to a close with no mink captures or sightings recorded on the Uists since March 2005.

A total of 302 mink were caught on Harris. In the Uists, the number was 230. Mink take large quantities of eggs, chicks and adult birds and also impact directly or indirectly on crofting, fishing, fishfarming and ecotourism.

And now, work on securing funding for phase two of the project, with the far more ambitious aim of eradicating mink from the remainder of the Western Isles, is progressing.

It will last around five years and cost around £2.5m. SNH will continue submitting funding applications to a range of organisations.