Volunteers are needed to track Britain’s ‘big five’ mammals, including grey squirrels, foxes, mice, hedgehogs and bats.
Running from 1st April until 30th June, Wildlife charity, People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is looking for volunteers to take part in its annual Living with Mammals survey by providing data on mammals to support ongoing conservation work.
The charity also asks volunteers to keep a record of signs or sightings of any other mammals in any local green space, such as gardens and allotments to parks or green spaces near work, provided the area is within 200 metres of a building.
PTES Surveys Officer David Wembridge, said: “Green spaces, and the wildlife they support, are important—they provide food, clean air and water, and make us healthier and happier. Counting our wild neighbours, and knowing how their populations are changing, is a health-check on our towns and cities.”
The data collected from the survey will be used by PTES to understand how populations of each species are changing and help identify where conservation work is needed.
Wembridge added: “As the weather warms up, we hope people will get out and see lots of wildlife - and the signs they leave behind, such as footprints or droppings.”
Your chance of spotting particular species varies depending on where you are in the UK. For example, Scotland is a stronghold for pine martens and red squirrels.
- Grey squirrels
- Foxes
- Mice
- Hedgehogs
- Bats
- Rabbits
- Badgers
- Moles
- Otters
- Red squirrels
- Pine martens
- Dormice (hazel or edible)
- Fallow deer
- Water voles
- Stoats
- Brown hares
How to take part in the Mammal Survey
To take part, simply register at www.ptes.org/LWMto report your findings and find more information on how to spot mammals.