Surprised by this garden visitor

[johnd83]

Good Afternoon everyone,

A couple of week's ago I noticed that something had been digging at the very bottom of the garden. I hadn't seem anything through the daytime so i set up one of my Wifi Trail cameras. I was expecting to see a hedgehog or something...But i didn't expect an American mink.

It was a good test for the camera and i was very impressed.

WhatsApp Video 2025-10-26 at 21.23.03_a0181735 by John Lindsey Photography, on Flickr

[PimperneBloke]

Possibly worth reporting it to your local wildlife trust, as they are hugely detrimental to UK wildlife, and I think there are schemes to humanely remove them from the wild.

[PimperneBloke]

Copy/Paste of Bings AI summary

Ecological Impact
Predation Threat: American minks are opportunistic carnivores that prey on various species, including fish, birds, and small mammals. They are particularly known for their impact on water voles, which have experienced a dramatic population decline of about 90% due to mink predation. Female minks can enter water vole burrows, making them effective hunters of both adult voles and their young.
2
Invasive Species: As an invasive species, the American mink has no natural predators in the UK, allowing their populations to grow unchecked. This has led to significant ecological imbalances, threatening native wildlife and biodiversity.
2

[johnd83]

Yes I reported this as required.