Bounty hunters aim to wipe out mink plague
HUNTERS could be out in force in Kerry gunning for mink in the near future after plans were put in place this week for a bounty on the predator that continues to spread into all parts of the county at an alarming rate.
Two major poultry farms in north Kerry were wiped out by mink recently, destroying farmers' livelihoods and illustrating the alarming level to which the introduced predator is present in the county.
Kerry is among four counties where Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan is now focusing a crackdown operation in a bid to bring mink under control. Most of the Kerry mink population are descendants of escapees from a mink farm.
A bounty is to be operational in the near future after Minister Deenihan this provided €20,000 to the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) who will operate the bounty system.
"The mink population is particularly bad in Kerry, it's a major problem for us and especially for wildfowl nesting at ground level. We also had two poultry farms in north Kerry wiped out recently, one in Moyvane and one in Saleen in Ballylongford in what was hugely damaging for the breeders. It is estimated that there are over 30,000 mink in the country now and the main problem is that they have no natural predator in Ireland," Minister Deenihan said.
The minister's department is primarily concentrating on protecting rare and threatened bird species, including redthroated diver, corncrake, grey partridge, waders and terns and he expects the bounty to impact significantly on the mink population.
The NARGC has been encouraging members to trap mink for many years. The bounty is now a 'useful' addition to its arsenal against the animal.
"I consider that this offers a useful addition to the measures already being taken by my Department," Minister Deenihan said. "I requested that, as far as it is possible, special attention should be given to Kerry along with Donegal, Galway and Mayo, where my Department has also concentrated its efforts."
- DÓNAL NOLAN dnolan@kerryman.ie
