Mink <i>(Mustela vison)</i> eradication to protect ground‐nesting birds in the Western Isles, Scotland, United Kingdom

Abstract

Abstract Feral American mink are perceived as a growing threat to native biodiversity in Europe. We describe the planning and early stages of a campaign to eradicate American mink from part of a 2800 km 2 archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. The present programme will last 5 years and cost GB£1.65 million, funded by EU LIFE. It aims to protect ground‐nesting birds, which are vulnerable to mink predation, and has been successful to date (&gt;220 mink caught). Non‐native feral ferrets are also being culled. This paper summarises early results of the campaign, and discusses its implications for full eradication on the archipelago and more widely in Europe.