Biosecurity Team Member (Responder)

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project (ONWP) is a partnership project between NatureScot, RSPB, Orkney Island Council, made possible by generous funding from EULife the National Lottery Heritage Fund and donations.

Our purpose is to remove the non-native invasive stoat from Orkney and protect its native wildlife. Stoats are not native to Orkney and pose a serious threat to our native wildlife. Our biosecurity team are focused on trying to stop the spread of the invasive species to other islands in Orkney as stoats have been known to swim up to three kilometres. You can find more information about who we are and what we do at www.orkneynativewildlife.org.uk.

There is an exciting opportunity to volunteer with our biosecurity team and so help protect native wildlife of Rousay, Flotta, Shapinsay, Hoy and Walls.

We are looking for volunteers that live on Rousay, Flotta, Shapinsay, Hoy and Walls to be trained as Incursion Response Volunteers as an essential part of our biosecurity team on the islands. This role will help support us by being the first response to any reported stoat sightings on these islands. You will follow the plan provided and be working alongside our biosecurity team, including the detection dog handlers, to ensure a rapid response to any report of stoats on your island. This uses a variety of methods including the putting out traps, camera traps and monitoring tunnels, following the island’s incursion plan created and approved by the community.

When we receive a report of a stoat on the island our biosecurity officer will contact you and provide you with a sighting location and any other appropriate information. This role is about being prepared for when a sighting comes in, which may not be very often, but is a crucial response role when the time comes. We will work together to confirm the facts of the reported stoat sighting.

Full training and equipment will be provided. You will be working alongside other volunteers and ONWP staff as a team working with the island communities.

The following range of skills and experience would be ideal for this volunteer role including:

• Be able to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, and able to cope with a reasonable level of physical activity.
• Work as part of a team.
• Follow health and safety protocols.
• Be flexible and adaptable to change responding swiftly to any alleged stoat sighting on the island.
• Have a friendly disposition and be able to communicate effectively.
  This is a vital role helping to protect our iconic wildlife on the Orkney islands.

Interested? Then please apply directly on this page. For more information about the role contact Tom Hadley.