Bioforce staff eager to assist with our water voles project have agreed to monitor mink rafts on the lower Irvine within walking distance of their premises.
Yesterday, two rafts were deployed on a small burn in the Shewalton area. More are planned for the ponds and the mainstem of the Irvine once the weather improves but at least this is a start.
Anyone from the area interested in assisting with monitoring rafts should get in touch as there is a large area to be covered and the more people involved the better.
The lower River Irvine is an ideal habitat for water voles however the large mink population is a constant threat to the few voles that survive. Using rafts allows us quickly to find and then trap the mink thus reducing the risk to water voles.
Stuart