In the days when it was the norm for every wealthy woman to own a mink (Neovison vison) coat, this native of North America was hunted relentlessly for its luxurious pelt. Such was its popularity that mink ranching was established to cope with demand and by the mid-1960s there were 7200 ranches competing to produce superior pelts. Mink farming prospered in Britain for a while but fashions change and escapees from mink farms have had a more lasting impact than fur coats. With no natural predators, these ferocious little creatures thrived and multiplied with devastating results for British wildlife and domestic poultry. With its webbed feet, the mink is a strong swimmer, catching fish and waterfowl without too much trouble. On land, ground-nesting birds are seriously threatened as their nests are so easily accessible and millions of pounds are being spent on trying to eradicate this pest from Scottish islands.
