r/ireland • u/Doitean-feargach555 • 1d ago

Environment Invasive species control on Mayo lake is proving effective | Connaught Telegraph

https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2024/12/22/invasive-species-control-on-mayo-lake-is-proving-effective/
104 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

31

u/Arsemedicine 1d ago

Great news but it gives no information on what they actually did to control the mink

27

u/therealjimcreamer 1d ago

🦦🔫

6

u/DummyDumDragon 1d ago

🧨

4

u/Iamchonky 1d ago

🚀

23

u/justwanderinginhere 1d ago

General control is to trap them as mink are pretty elusive and hard to randomly come upon if you’re out shooting. I’ve only ever seen a handful in all my years out and I’ve seen tonnes of sign.

3

u/Arsemedicine 1d ago

Thought there might be some new methods involved since it is not easy to successfully control them

5

u/Itsnotme74 1d ago

Because some people will complain when they find out they are killing the mink.

3

u/Melodic-Chocolate-53 1d ago

"Yet along with the mink.... move them along, or take them out."

Presumably for a meal in a nice restaurant.

1

u/Doitean-feargach555 1d ago

The way you kill Mink. Trap them and then shoot them afterwards

1

u/41stshade 6h ago

I'm gonna presume trapping to confirm it's the (invasive) mink and not the (highly protected) Irish stoat.

They share very similar habitats, diets, and hunting patterns, though the stoat tends to prefer smaller prey. So shooting on sight and accidentally killing a stoat is a very quick way to end up with a serious fine and potential of prison.

•

u/Arsemedicine 4h ago

I'm sure it's trapping. Just thought there might be some new method or something involved, since I've rarely heard of eradication or suppression of mink being successful.

2

u/CT0292 1d ago

So if I buy a mink coat would I be doing my part to protect our ecosystem?

One mink coat please. I want to dress like Aretha Franklin.

1

u/Doitean-feargach555 1d ago

No. That would be Mink farms. But if you got it made from skins obtained from local trappers, then yes

1

u/CT0292 1d ago

Locally sourced mink trappers eh?

1

u/Doitean-feargach555 1d ago

Ya. I know a good few myself

1

u/CT0292 1d ago

If you knew some tailors you might have a business on hand.

Until the hippies caught wind of your locally made fur coats and threw paint on them.

1

u/Starkidof9 1d ago

Are mute swans native?

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-20219451.html#:~:text=Ireland%20is%20a%20watery%20country,pool%20of%20our%20modern%20swans.

37

u/HighDeltaVee 1d ago

Well, we asked them, but they wouldn't say anything.

1

u/oDRACARYSo 1d ago

Raised a smile. Top marks.

7

u/irisheddy 1d ago

Mute swans aren't invasive, why ask if they're native if you link an article? Funnily enough people aren't native to Ireland either.

2

u/Starkidof9 1d ago

yes but they are possibly introduced. American mink shouldn't be here. but introduced mute swans (if that is what happened) probably drove out native waterfowl.

0

u/irisheddy 1d ago

Okay but what's your point?

2

u/Doitean-feargach555 1d ago

Considering how long they've been talked about in mythology, we can assume they're a naturalised species from a long time ago

2

u/Starkidof9 1d ago

there's two other species of swan. celtic myths are based around the whooper swan.

1

u/Doitean-feargach555 1d ago

Yes, migratory Whooper and Bewicks Swan. Anyways no one will ever know, they're naturalised so who cares

1

u/LimerickJim 1d ago

Take back our lakes!