Stoat cull credited with rise in Orkney curlew numbers

The number of curlew wading birds in Orkney is on the rise again after a drive to reduce the number of predatory stoats.

The carnivorous mammals are classed as an invasive species in the islands, and a culling programme for stoats began in 2019.

At the time, a survey suggested the curlew population had declined by 50% in a decade.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said latest data indicated a 21% rise in the species in Orkney, in contrast to mainland Scotland and other parts of the UK.