Stoat cull credited with rise in Orkney curlew numbers
The number of curlew wading birds in Orkney is on the rise again after a drive to reduce the number of predatory stoats. The carnivorous mammals are classed as an invasive species in the islands, and a culling programme for stoats began in 2019. At the time, a survey suggested the curlew population had declined by 50% in a decade. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said latest data indicated a 21% rise in the species in Orkney, in contrast to mainland Scotland and other parts of the UK.
When the Orkney Native Wildlife Project began removing stoats in 2019 it was estimated there were 12 breeding pairs of curlew per square kilometre. This is now believed to have risen to an average of 14.5 breeding pairs, after more than 7,000 stoats were removed in what is believed to be the biggest predator eradication programme to be conducted on an inhabited island. Anne McCall, director of RSPB Scotland, said: "It is fantastic to see that the hard work of the project team and many volunteers is starting to restore a positive future for vulnerable species in Orkney."This is the first major population survey for waders since work started to remove stoats from Orkney and the signs are really promising, as we see declines for curlew reversed.
Stoats were first spotted in Orkney in 2010, although it remains a mystery how they got to the islands. One theory is that they arrived with a cargo from the mainland such as hay, but they may have been released intentionally to control rabbit populations. Aside from curlew, they pose a threat to a number of native species including the Orkney vole, short-eared owl and hen harrier. The Orkney Native Wildlife Project says it uses lethal traps to humanely kill the stoats. The eradication project employs more than 40 people and also uses specially-trained dogs to locate the animals.The RSPB said curlew numbers had continued to decline on mainland Scotland and elsewhere. Surveys suggest populations have decreased by 13% between 2012 and 2022, and there has been a wider UK-wide decline of around 50% since 1995.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
'A catastrophic scandal': Inside the tower block so dangerous residents face being kicked out at any moment
The moment we step into Willow Rise, the smell of damp is overpowering. There are water stains across the carpet and rotten wood on the doors. Around the corner, there's a hole in the wall, barely patched up with a piece of polystyrene sheet. We're meeting a resident on the 13th floor of the building in Kirkby, Merseyside - but the lifts are broken and wires hang out of the service panel. Like everyone living here, we will have to walk. The disrepair in this block is everywhere you look. It has now been deemed so unsafe by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service that they are days away from serving a rare prohibition notice on this tower and its neighbour, Beech Rise, meaning residents will have to leave with immediate effect. In total, 160 households here face instant homelessness. After climbing 13 flights of stairs, we meet Chris Penfold-Ivany. 'A catastrophic scandal' He has terminal cancer, and after chemotherapy and a liver transplant, that climb is now the only way he can get up to his flat. He tells us it's making him breathless. He can no longer get his prescriptions delivered, as the drivers won't come up all the stairs. "It's a catastrophic scandal that we have been left like this," he says. He has lived in this flat for 15 years and has watched the block slowly begin to fall apart over the last decade. He tells us that numerous complaints have achieved nothing. "I'm going to say it," he says, "this is another Grenfell in the making." 'Nobody can live like this ' A few floors down, Arunee Leerasiri opens the door to us, in floods of tears. The stress of the last few weeks has left her anxious and overwhelmed. There are boxes everywhere, bare hooks on the walls where pictures hung. She is packing up her life just three years after putting her life savings into buying this flat. Her elderly mother has come to visit, but she had to hire removal men already to take her mattress into storage as she couldn't manage without the lifts. Tonight, and until they are told they must leave, they will sleep on the floor. "I can't eat, I can't sleep," she tells us, through tears. "Sometimes, if I'm honest, I can't even think. This used to be my home, and now I look around and I don't even recognise it." "Nobody can live like this," she adds. 'Danger, 415 volts' She shows us a video she filmed just a few weeks ago, of one of the electrical risers on the ground floor. None of us can quite believe what we are seeing - water is pouring through the ceiling, directly on to fuse boxes and electrical wiring. Arunee takes us down to show us the cupboard. The water has now stopped but there are damp stains all over the floor and around the electrical equipment. The water pipes and electric boxes are just inches away from one another within the cupboard. One of the boxes, marked 'Danger, 415 volts', is rusted through. Next to it, there is a notice stuck to a resident's door telling them a leak has been identified in their flat - and as a leaseholder, they will be responsible for paying to fix it. "Tell me, how is this safe?" Arunee says. "Why is this building allowed to be open for the public, as a dwelling, with this kind of set-up?" Hidden owners and a plea to the government Merseyside Fire and Rescue tell us they have been serving enforcement notices on the building managers for years, to no avail. They have now been told there is no money for the millions of pounds worth of repairs that will be needed to bring the blocks up to a safe standard. They have mandated a 'waking watch', where teams physically patrol the buildings daily to check for fire risks, without which they will serve the prohibition notice and tell residents they must leave straight away. Knowsley Council has stepped in to pay for this temporarily - at a cost of £3,000 per day. Their deputy leader tells us, though, that the money will soon run out. Where to go? With a complex management structure and several owners, managers and agents over the years, the council says it doesn't even know who is to blame for the disrepair - or who even has the legal responsibility for maintaining the buildings. It says discussions are ongoing with central government about whether any extra help - or money - can be provided to try to fix the mess. Right now though, all the residents can do is wait. With no date to leave and no idea if anything can be done to keep the buildings open, they are spending every day fearing the call to tell them they have to go. They can only hope there will be somewhere for them if they do.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Single Lotto ticket holder wins £4 million jackpot
A single ticket holder has won the £4 million jackpot in Saturday's Lotto draw. The winning Lotto numbers were 11, 17, 27, 30, 39 and 46 while the bonus number was 56. Players have been urged to check their tickets and call in to claim the top prize, with the jackpot winner matching all six main numbers to take the £4,003,513 sum. Set of balls 10 and draw machine Lancelot were used. Wednesday's jackpot will be an estimated £2 million. Andy Carter, senior winners' advisor at The National Lottery operator Allwyn, said: 'Amazing news for our lucky Lotto players, as one ticket-holder has won tonight's £4 million jackpot. 'Luck is clearly in the air, as this is the second Lotto jackpot win in a week, after a single ticket-holder bagged last Saturday's (May 31) £3.9 million jackpot.' No players matched all five numbers in Lotto HotPicks, which uses the same numbers as the Lotto draw. Twelve players won £13,000 each after they managed to match four numbers. The winning Thunderball numbers were 01, 05, 13, 17 and 39 while the Thunderball was 08. No-one matched all five numbers plus the Thunderball to scoop the £500,000 top prize, but one ticket holder matched all five regular numbers to win £5,000.
The Sun
6 hours ago
- The Sun
Lottery results and numbers: Lotto and Thunderball draw tonight, June 7, 2025
THE NATIONAL Lottery results are in and it's time to find out who has won a life-changing amount of money tonight (June 7, 2025). Could tonight's jackpot see you handing in your notice, jetting off to the Bahamas or driving a new Porsche off a garage forecourt? 3 3 You can find out by checking your ticket against tonight's numbers below. Good luck! Tonight's National Lottery Lotto winning numbers are: 11, 17, 27, 30, 39, 46 and the Bonus Ball is 56. Tonight's estimated jackpot is £3.9 million. Tonight's National Lottery Thunderball winning numbers are: 01, 05, 13, 17, 39 and the Thunderball is 08. The first National Lottery draw was held on November 19 1994 when seven winners shared a jackpot of £5,874,778. The largest amount ever to be won by a single ticket holder was £42million, won in 1996. Gareth Bull, a 49-year-old builder, won £41million in November, 2020 and ended up knocking down his bungalow to make way for a luxury manor house with a pool. TOP 5 BIGGEST LOTTERY WINS ACROSS THE WORLD £1.308 billion (Powerball) on January 13 2016 in the US, for which three winning tickets were sold, remains history's biggest lottery prize £1.267 billion (Mega Million) a winner from South Carolina took their time to come forward to claim their prize in March 2019 not long before the April deadline £633.76 million (Powerball draw) from a winner from Wisconsin £625.76 million (Powerball) Mavis L. Wanczyk of Chicopee, Massachusetts claimed the jackpot in August 2017 £575.53 million (Powerball) A lucky pair of winners scooped the jackpot in Iowa and New York in October 2018 Sue Davies, 64, bought a lottery ticket to celebrate ending five months of shielding during the pandemic — and won £500,000. Sandra Devine, 36, accidentally won £300k - she intended to buy her usual £100 National Lottery Scratchcard, but came home with a much bigger prize. The biggest jackpot ever to be up for grabs was £66million in January last year, which was won by two lucky ticket holders. Another winner, Karl managed to bag £11million aged just 23 in 1996. The odds of winning the lottery are estimated to be about one in 14million - BUT you've got to be in it to win it. 3
