Study to reveal more about Guernsey’s wild ferrets

Study to reveal more about Guernsey's wild ferrets. Image source, La Société GuernesiaiseImage caption, La Société Guernesiaise said it knew very little about the island's wild ferretsByDan WareingChannel IslandsPublished4 hours agoThe results of a year-long research project are expected to reveal more about Guernsey's wild ferret population than ever, project leaders have said.

What happened

A conservation group has been spending a year studying wild ferrets after securing government funds. The conservation charity said it plotted where devices should be located in areas where ferrets had been known to attack different wildlife, such as La Claire Mare Nature Reserve in St Peters, had taken thousands of photos and the pictures were now being examined. More news stories for GuernseyListen to the latest news for GuernseyLeah Cottell, who has been leading the study, said the process had been "incredibly time-consuming" but she had learned a lot.

"I knew that we had ferrets on the island, but we didn't really know anything about them," she told BBC Guernsey. "However, despite the numbers, ferrets were not native to Guernsey, she added. Image caption, Hayden Leigh, a forensic science graduate at the University of Staffordshire, has been studying the hair of Boris the bearByRichard PriceWest MidlandsPublished6 September 2026A student has been using hair from a 120-year-old museum exhibit to help find new ways of solving wildlife crime.

The traps were motion-activated and used to take photos or videos of wildlife and people without anyone having to be there to operate them, project leaders said.

The wider picture

"They are an invasive species, and the feeling is that it's probably due to releases from domestic ferrets. "They look like their polecat wild counterparts, so they have been out there for a very long time; or ferret owners in the 1980s might have let some go and over time it's expanded. More on this storyFunds for environmental projects openPublished1 September 2025Follow BBC Guernsey on X, external and Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Related topicsWildlifeEnvironmentRelated internet linksLa Société GuernesiaiseStrategy for Nature

Leigh said in the wild the animals were mostly found in places like Romania and Bulgaria as well as Russia. "There's been hundreds of studies done on dog hairs and cat hairs and general domestic animals, and I thought, well, let's make a wider impact than on the wider wildlife crime investigations," he said. Image caption, Boris the bear is a popular exhibit at the Museum of Chelmsford in EssexBy developing more a cost-effective and reliable alternative to DNA analysis, the aim is to help tackle the illegal poaching and trafficking of wildlife.

Related topicsStoke-on-TrentWildlifeBearsEssexConservationMore on this storyTiny wild cat settles in at custom enclosurePublished2 days agoHeathland plan to support two rare species of antPublished6 days agoBarn loft transformed to support bat colonyPublished7 days agoRelated internet linksMuseum of ChelmsfordUniversity of Staffordshire

What has been reported

Using money from the government's Strategy for Nature fund, La Société Guernesiaise has been tracking the animals by using specialist camera equipment. La Société said it had been aware of the feral ferret population for some time, but "didn't know anything about them". The charity was one of 11 local projects to be given funding from the Strategy for Nature last year, and applied for cash to buy 15 camera traps. "They seem to like being around water sites because they like eating things like eggs, and so they'll go for the nests of ground-nesting birds.

"Cottell added it would take "months and months" to sift through all the photos, but the charity would write up a report of its findings. The next round of Strategy for Nature funding is open, and people wishing to apply for money had until 25 October, fund bosses said. Send your story ideas to channel. islands@bbc. co. uk, external. The taxidermy bear, known as Boris, is a popular feature at the Museum of Chelmsford and is regarded as its unofficial mascot.

What happens next

Hayden Leigh, a forensic science graduate at the University of Staffordshire, is using samples taken from his hair to help protect modern-day brown bears from illegal poaching. His PhD research involves analysing Boris's fur to compare how its characteristics could improve identification of animal hairs during investigations. Boris arrived at the museum in 1932 amongst a large collection of taxidermy bequeathed by a local game hunter. He said he had been using a microscope to analyse the cuticles, and different layers of the bear's fur as well as its DNA.

Leigh had previously approached about 30 zoos and museums for help with the project before the Museum of Chelmsford said they would lend a hand. "Taxidermy samples from museums can play a valuable role in the research of animal hair within a forensic context, Leigh added. "They are often far more accessible than obtaining hair from live animals.

The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across bbc.co.uk. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.