Rousay and stoats

 

News from the Orkney Islands in early October (2026) mentioned trapping a single male stoat on the island of Rousay, which prompts some commentary.  This was a big deal.  And unfortunately, the news was too good to believe.  

BBC 'stoat sighting' map, updated October 23, 2026

It was hoped the stoat was a one-off.  Being strong swimmers, it was assumed the stoat may have swum Eynhallow Sound from Orkney Mainland to get to Rousay.  (The Rousay island group is circled in green on the BBC 'stoat sighting map' which is updated as of October 23rd).

While concerning, one stoat was nothing to worry about...until news of another stoat trapped on Rousay two weeks later.  Where there's two, it could be a party.  Three, and it could be an orgy, given stoats rear litters of between six and twelve kits per year.  Unmolested, in a couple years stoats are soon out of control.  A definite immigration problem.  

Currently, there's a concerted effort to rid stoats off Orkney Mainland. Concerted, as in a £15 million project to eradicate them under the auspices of the Orkney Native Wildlife Project (ONWP).  Since 2019 (when the program began), over 9,100 stoats had been eradicated off Orkney.  So, new sightings of stoats on new islands cannot possibly be good news.    

It could be that the stoats are moving to avoid eradication pressure.  But clearly, there's more work to do.  The invasive stoats, native to Mainland Britain and Scotland, are absolutely devastating wildlife, particularly ground nesting birds--Orkney voles, rabbits, curlews, red-throated divers, hen harriers and short-eared owls...)  And if anyone knows anything about Brits, it's that they take 'birding' seriously.

Another mobilization may be in the works.  Whether stoats establish themselves on yet another Orkney island or not remains to be seen.