The GWCT Mink Raft

The GWCT Mink Raft is a low-technology monitor which encourages mink to leave evidence of their presence, in the form of footprints.  The raft uses a standardised mixture of clay and sand to record the tracks over a period of 1-2 weeks. 

The tracking medium is problem-free and provides unequivocal evidence of mink presence.  Once a mink is detected, the raft(s) on which it left its tracks also becomes the best place to set a trap.  The commonest result is that the mink is caught next day.

Through a series of practical trials, we established that one raft per km of river gives you multiple opportunities to detect each mink.  We have also shown that a single raft left for 2 weeks within the range of a mink has a 50% chance of detecting that mink. 

Given more than one raft available per mink and successive check periods, there is only a very small risk of failing to detect a mink that really is present.   With this knowledge, rafts can also be used as a reliable indicator of mink absence.  That's very important, because the number of mink caught is a poor guide to the success of the control effort.  It is the extent to which the system is clear of mink that matters.

• Downloads on the GWCT Mink Raft
• Scientific publications by GWCT on mink control