A downward trend in the stoat population continues, while the Orkney community remains vigilant with an increase in reported sightings - this November we are seeing some positive results!
The number of stoats we caught in November dropped 111 compared to the same month last year. As the stoat population in Orkney decreases, so will our catch-rate. We expect to see our catch-rates drop each year, in-line with the shrinking population.
How can we be certain the number of stoats caught is a reflection of the population? It's a fair question. As well as our trap network, we use a number of monitoring tools to track stoat activity. One of our greatest assets is our dog team.
In North-West mainland, we performed thirty-one dog searches for sign of stoat activity, many of which proved there was very little sign. This is in-line with the 50% drop in the number of stoats caught compared to November 2023. Only eight search areas showed considerable stoat signs and were predominantly moorland areas.
Thanks to the incredible effort from the community, our volunteers, and project team, we are still on-track to achieve total eradication by 2030.