Richard Collins: New year, new start for Rathlin's ferret-catcher

Ferrets can no longer be tolerated on Rathlin which has important bird communities — ferrets, which were released on the island to control the rabbit population, also take eggs and chicks

Kept as working animals since Roman times, ferrets have long flexible snake-like bodies which make them ideal underground hunters. 

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is currently appointing a ferret-catcher for Rathlin.

Ferrets were released on the County Antrim island during the 1960s, in the hope of controlling the rabbit population. Unfortunately, these relatives of the stoat also take birds’ eggs and nestlings.