Full Breakdown
Stoat Evades £150,000 Eradication Effort on Rousay
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
A solitary male stoat has avoided capture for five months on the Orkney island of Rousay. The predator was first recorded on camera in April and, despite an intensive search launched in May, remains at large. Authorities have deployed 229 traps, 59 AI-equipped cameras and trained detection dogs, yet the animal continues to elude capture.
Background & Context
Stoats are non-native to the Northern Isles, first detected in Orkney in 2010. Their presence on Rousay is especially concerning because the island was previously considered free of the invasive species. The Orkney Native Wildlife Project (ONWP)—a £15 million partnership of RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and Orkney Islands Council—has coordinated eradication efforts across the archipelago since 2019. To date the project reports killing 9,039 stoats, the largest removal operation of its kind worldwide.
Scale of the Current Search
The Rousay operation has cost approximately £150,000, funding a dedicated trapper, additional staff, vehicles and equipment. The effort includes a network of 229 traps and 59 AI-enabled cameras positioned across the island, supplemented by detection dogs that track the animal through its droppings. The ONWP described the stoat’s appearance on Rousay as “desperately disappointing,” noting the island lies within swimming distance of the mainland and could have been reached inadvertently via hay shipments or deliberate release.
Ecological Risks
Rousay hosts internationally important nesting colonies of curlews, lapwings and oystercatchers. A single stoat also threatens the Orkney vole, a species endemic to the islands and a primary prey item for rare raptors such as hen harriers and short-eared owls. The ONWP warns that a decline in vole numbers could trigger cascading effects on these bird of prey populations.
Official Statements & Ongoing Plans
The ONWP continues to lead the eradication campaign, emphasizing that the current manhunt will persist until the stoat is captured or removed. Officials have indicated that the extensive use of traps, cameras and detection dogs represents the most comprehensive response to date, reflecting the high conservation stakes for both ground-nesting birds and endemic mammals on Rousay.