Help count out wild mammals

WILDLIFE charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling for volunteers to take part in its annual Living With Mammals survey by asking members of the public to survey a garden or local green space once a week between Monday, March 26 and Sunday, June 24 2018, and recording the wild mammals they see.

PTES is particularly interested to hear from those living in the north of England, especially as the area is home to some of Britain’s rarest mammals, such as red squirrels and pine martens.

Volunteers can choose any green space to survey: this could be a rural or urban garden, an allotment, a park, or a green space near to work, as long as the site is within 200 metres of a building.

Once a suitable space has been identified, PTES is asking volunteers to visit this site for a short amount of time each week and record any sightings of mammals, or the signs they leave behind such as droppings or footprints.

Volunteers can submit their findings online at www.ptes.org/lwm

Understanding how wildlife in our towns and cities is changing is essential in supporting our wild neighbours such as foxes, rabbits and hedgehogs.

We’ve always shared our green spaces with wildlife, so by counting the number of mammals each spring we can tell where conservation efforts are needed most.

By identifying population trends, finding pockets where certain species are thriving or under pressure, we can ultimately encourage biodiversity around us.

To take part in PTES’s 2018 Living With Mammals survey, register online at www. ptes.org/lwm David Wembridge Surveys Officer PTES