The mink we have in Britain are not native here. They are American mink (Neovison vison), which originated from mink brought here for fur-farming.
In continental Europe, there is also a European mink (Mustela lutreola), a somewhat different species and now endangered. The European mink never existed in the British Isles.
A widespread modern misconception is that the UK’s wild population of American mink originated from mass releases of mink from fur farms by animal rights activists in the 1990s. In fact, the wild population was established decades earlier from multiple escapes all over the country.
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
I have absolutely no problem with people killing squirrels - in fact, I would encourage it. But I don't fancy doing it myself. However, I have a problem with the word 'culling'. Why not say what it is- killing.
How about the term "mass genocide", like they did to my strawberry patch?
If you can say it! @Fire Playful little darlings aren't they? They took a bite out of my one and only fig last year - but then, I don't like them anyway -or figs.001
Did anybody read the recent article on wallabies on the Isle of Man? Apparently they estimate there are about 160 now, all descended from two escapees from a local zoo. Can't understand why these two weren't shot (or re-captured) at the time. A disaster now in the making.
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The mink we have in Britain are not native here. They are American mink (Neovison vison), which originated from mink brought here for fur-farming.
In continental Europe, there is also a European mink (Mustela lutreola), a somewhat different species and now endangered. The European mink never existed in the British Isles.
A widespread modern misconception is that the UK’s wild population of American mink originated from mass releases of mink from fur farms by animal rights activists in the 1990s. In fact, the wild population was established decades earlier from multiple escapes all over the country.
Playful little darlings aren't they? They took a bite out of my one and only fig last year - but then, I don't like them anyway -or figs.001