SIR - Andrew Tyler of Animal Aid is being disingenuous regarding the impact of mink on water voles (Letters, August 28). He blames fur farmers for the release of mink into the wild, whereas, in fact the vast majority of mink now in the wild were illegally released by his friends in the animal rights movement in their battle to have fur farming banned.
There is no doubt that the environment continues to suffer from degradation which makes the voles' habitat increasingly marginal but anyone who spends long periods on the waterside could tell him that where mink are present there are no rats or voles. The mink predate on them and take the young from the vole nests as well as taking mature water voles, birds, waterfowl and other small rodents.
Mink have no natural predator in the UK, so man must intervene if we are to preserve the remaining stocks of water voles and other important wetland species.
Bradford Council is not alone in seeking to remove mink from the wild so as to encourage the return of the water vole. The Wildlife Trusts, local councils, conservationists and anglers are all working together to try to re-establish colonies of water voles in mink-free areas and are removing mink where they are found.
Michael Heylin, secretary, Specialist Anglers Alliance, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
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