Orkney Native Wildlife Project - Elgol Fund For Nature

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project aims to safeguard the unique and internationally important native wildlife of Orkney by addressing the threat posed by invasive non-native Stoats.

Despite making up only 0.4% of the UK’s land area, the absence of predators such as Foxes, Badgers and Weasels on the Orkney Islands has made them a haven for endangered wildlife, including up to 11% of the UK’s breeding seabirds, up to a fifth of Hen Harriers and Arctic Terns, and up to a third of Arctic Skuas and Great Skuas. Across the UK these species are suffering huge declines due to habitat loss, lack of food sources and persecution. The Islands are also home to the Orkney Vole, a distinct sub-species found nowhere else, as well as nationally important populations of Lapwings, Oystercatchers and Curlews.

_{Black Guillemots, known locally as Tysties}

_{Arctic Terns, also known as Tirricks in Orkney}

In 2010, Stoats were confirmed on Orkney, presenting a catastrophic threat to native wildlife. They eat ground-nesting bird eggs and chicks, and impact Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls because they rely on Orkney Voles which the Stoats eat in abundance. With the invasion of Stoats in New Zealand contributing to the extinction of several native bird species, a 2015 NatureScot report concluded that eradication of Stoats was the only way to protect Orkney’s spectacular wildlife. In 2019, RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and Orkney Islands Council embarked on the Orkney Native Wildlife Project, the world’s largest Stoat eradication, and the first in the northern hemisphere.

_{Puffin, also known as Tammie Norrie locally}

The results of this project so far have been remarkable, with key native species starting to recover. Since 2019, there has been a 1,267% increase in Curlew nest success, 64% increase in Hen Harrier nest success, 261% increase in overall wader nest success and a 218% increase in Orkney Vole activity. However, just one pregnant female Stoat remaining in Orkney could parent a lineage of more than 256 Stoats in five years. As such, removing every last Stoat is the only feasible option to safeguard the future of native wildlife in Orkney.

Curlew, known locally as a Whaup in Orkney’s meadowland
Detection dog Scout waiting for his reward after finding some Stoat scat
Lapwing, known locally as Teeick, landing in one of Orkney’s fields
Scat detection dog, Scout, and his handler Alan searching the cliffs of Orkney

The project is now removing the final Stoats from Orkney with the help of Europe’s first conservation dog team. Stoats are notoriously difficult to detect, and human Stoat sightings cannot be relied upon alone. Dogs have around 300 million scent receptors in their nose, meaning that the team of canine super sniffers can establish the presence and locations of Stoats much more quickly and with more certainty than humans can. Nine Stoat detection dogs are now working on the project, both as part of the extensive biosecurity programme, as well as supporting eradication operations. These working dogs are trained not to hunt or attack Stoats, but to sniff out their presence which helps inform the location of humane traps.

Elgol Fund for Nature is supporting the costs of one of the Stoat Detection Dog Handlers.

All photos courtesy of the Rachel Bigsby, RSPB Ambassador

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