AG readers needed for wildlife survey
Help count numbers of the UK’s rarest creatures
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Greaders are being asked to become ‘citizen scientists’ and take part in a series of surveys to help conservationists monitor some of the UK’s rarest creatures.This spring, the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling for volunteers across the UK to record wildlife such as hedgehogs, deer, squirrels and foxes, water voles and stag beetles.
Sightings will be collaged by the charity and used to track wildlife numbers compared with previous years.
The Living With Mammals survey runs from now until the end of the year and encourages spotters to note any wildlife, whether common or rare, in gardens, parks and the countryside.
Last year, 800 sites were used and more than 20 different species were seen. The National Water Vole Monitoring Programme runs from now until June 15. Due to pollution and destroyed habitats, water voles are increasingly endangered and the PTES is eager to discover how they are faring. These little brown-coated, blunt-nosed rodents are extremely cute and perhaps most commonly associated with the character, ‘Ratty’ in the beloved children’s book The Wind in the Willows.
The Great Stag Hunt, which runs from late May until June focuses on stag beetles, our largest and most distinctive beetle. They are mainly found in the south of the UK and last year 14,000 were seen.
Finally, The Great British Hedgerow Survey runs from May until October, and involves people monitoring the health of their local woody boundaries and the wildlife and birds living within them.
David Wembridge, PTES Mammal Surveys Coordinator, said: “Spring is a wonderful time to connect with the great outdoors and get involved in conservation. Whether it’s spotting wildlife in your garden or local park, walking a stretch of waterway or hedgerow, taking part in a survey is a brilliant way to help conservation.” He added: “Every record, even if you don’t spot anything, is valuable to understanding how different populations and habitats are changing and how
we might protect them.”
To take part in any of these surveys or to find out more about PTES, visit ptes.org/surveys