Up in the highlands of Scotland there'a wildlife park. It's not far from the village of Kingussie. One of this wildlife park's prized possessions is a troop of Japanese macaques or snow monkeys.
On Sunday, a young member of this troop escaped from the animal park and was seen out on the loose. One newspaper christened him Kingussie Kong. Thankfully, today he was safely recaptured and returned home looking no worse for wear.
It was interesting to see how British news channels briefly took the macaque's story to heart. It provided some welcome light relief and a diversion from the standard heavy news items about Gaza, Ukraine, cost of living issues, the forthcoming US presidential election, protesting farmers in France etc..
The monkey had been seen at garden bird feeders in the village and he didn't stray far from the wildlife park anyway. Drones and heat sensitive cameras were used to track him down. He should be glad he's not a lion or a bear because if he had been his life could have easily been finished by a marksman with a shotgun.
Speaking of wildlife, last night I saw a house mouse scuttling across our kitchen floor. Consequently, I bought a simple "Little Nipper" mousetrap today from the hardware store on Sharrowvale Lane. I don't like killing any creatures but a mouse in the house means that something drastic is required - namely DEATH! We will wait and see. Let's hope that peanut butter does the trick.
UPDATE 1.00am Friday morning. I heard the trap being triggered and sure enough, a mouse was in it. Dead of course. There was some blood. I took the tiny corpse to the wheelie bin outside. Now the question is - Are there more?
That's an interesting name for a mouse trap. I hope you nipped that problem in the bud. I do not like cohabitating with mice.
ReplyDelete"Little Nipper" mousetraps were patented in England in 1898. I have baited the trap but now at 12.45am, the mouse has still not met its end. Hopefully it will die while I am sleeping.
DeleteSorry about the mouse. I hate mice in the house as they get into food and spoil lots. Usually there's more than one mouse...my bet.
ReplyDeleteIf you only have one mouse visitor you are pretty lucky. I will be setting that trap again tonight.
DeleteHave you seen those home-made traps that involve a bucket and spinning 'plank'? Have a look on YouTube. Very easy to make and VERY effective. The captured live Mice can be released in your local convent.
ReplyDeleteI will go and have a look at that.
DeleteThere probably are more mice, so keep setting the trap for a while longer.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where that wildlife park is, but there is a conservation park that sells off small parcels of land to many people so that a giant conglomerate can't just buy it up and turn it into something else like a humungous mega mall or similar. I own two tiny sections and so does "no-one".
Are your tiny sections in Scotland?
DeleteIn Glencoe.
DeleteGiven the traps that were used during the 19th century, it reflects some of the cruelty of the larger traps. Especially mantraps or rabbit traps which left the poor victims screaming in pain. Good morning, what with WW3 and mousetraps you are on a downward beat. We used kind traps that left the victim alive and up for transportation to the countryside....
ReplyDeleteLittle Nippers are very effective and "The End" comes quickly but I still don't like doing it.
DeletePoor little nipper! But I agree; mice (or rats, or bugs etc.) are not what we want or need in our homes. I do believe that one single mouse is largely really just one single mouse. They live in families and groups of families...
ReplyDeleteI also believe that one mouse is one mouse... unless of course it is schizophrenic!
DeleteSorry, I mis-typed; it was meant to read "...that one single mouse is rarely really just one single mouse". But I think you got it anyway.
DeleteThere is never just one mouse.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you didn't choose to dispatch it with poison
If you poison a mouse you don't know where it will curl up and die... and then smell disgusting.
DeleteThat little mouse has probably got relatives who are now grieving...they will come for you in the night!! Be afraid!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you could be so nasty Frances - putting horrid ideas in my mind!
DeleteI think that if you see one mouse there are usually more behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to come onto the stage of life.
DeleteWe use tiny cages for their capture and then release into the wilds at the bottom of our garden. Not had one for ages.
ReplyDeleteI should really follow your good example Poppy.
DeleteThat's a nice story from Scotland. I hope the country has heated pools for the snow monkeys.
ReplyDeleteWe have to think of mice as flies, kill and destroy, even though they are mammals. Have I convinced myself? There is usually more than one mice.
A Little Nipper here is a child who is in training to be a future sea lifesaver.
Last year I saw video footage of mice plagues on some Australian farms. Incredibly awful.
DeleteWhere there is one, there is more. I have become an expert on mouse proofing houses I have live in. The only ones I have seen are ones that make it through my open garage door and die of starvation in my garage because they can't get back out.
ReplyDeleteYou could have a van with "Mouseman" written on the side - touring Iowa with your expert advice.
DeleteWe recently had mice and like you, I hate the thought of killing them, but I hate the thought of living with them even more. We ended up catching two. I hope that's it for a while.
ReplyDeleteIs "catching" a euphemism for "slaughtering"?
DeleteWhy don't you invest in a paddy cat? We have 5.
ReplyDeleteNick nack paddy cat
DeleteGive a dog a bone.
Puddy cat silly autocorrect.
ReplyDeleteMurderer! There will be more. They may be getting in from outside - check pipework etc for gaps. Put all edibles in sealed boxes.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the mouse turds. It's the pee you need to worry about because you can't see that.
In all my years, I have never had a "mouse in the house" to my knowledge. And I am grateful for that. I read all about the escaped monkey as it was in the news year in the states. Hopefully that one mouse you caught is the only one, but my guess is that where there's one, there is probably more.
ReplyDeleteIf there is one, there are very likely more. Glad the monkey was returned safely.
ReplyDeleteA fairly controversial thing in the news here is that there is a plan for a "monkey farm" in Bainbridge, Georgia, not so far from here. The monkeys would be bred for different sorts of testing and people are not happy.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/01/28/monkey-farm-breeding-medical-science-research/72339272007/
As so many have pointed out here, if you see one mouse...
Have you considered a cat?
As you may remember, we had a mouse several weeks ago and our trap got him. We haven't seen a second one.
ReplyDeleteI felt bad seeing that monkey trying to get into the bird feeder. I imagine it was quite hungry, though the news reports said it was healthy when finally captured.
Now you need to find where they are getting in, Neil.
ReplyDeleteGlad the moneky was safely caught and returned to his troop. At least he had an adventure:)
ReplyDeleteI like mice, they don't bother me at all, however, they are not allowed inside my house. I'm glad I've never had to deal with that because I would be torn.
Interesting collection of views on the mouse scourge. Wonder what they'll have to say now that you've updated your post.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad of the neighbour's cats who come into the garden. They help themselves to food that I leave out for the feral cats I've "adopted". I don't think we have any mice - haven't seen any signs, although I'm very fond of seeded brown bread and some of the seeds look just like mouse droppings - at least I hope they're seeds!
ReplyDelete