Plea to record roadkill and help conservation

SURVEY CAN SHOW POPULATION TRENDS

A WILDLIFE charity is asking people to record any sightings of roadkill they see.

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species’ (PTES) annual Mammals on Roads survey began this week .

Participants can record what they see via a free app, to help conservation.

PTES said it hopes that as the number of staycations increases, more people will be able to take part this year.

The data collected will help conservationists to identify population trends, and which mammal species are most in need of help and where conservation action is needed.

David Wembridge, mammal surveys coordinator at PTES, said: “Nobody likes seeing roadkill, but counting casualties can help conservation.

“Many of our native mammals are declining in number.

“We need all the help we can get to find out which species are at risk and try to turn their fate around.

“Mammals on Roads is one of the few countryside-based wildlife surveys, and it couldn’t be easier to take part.

“If you have a smartphone, and are travelling as a passenger, we hope you’ll record sightings across the country on trips to different parts of Britain this summer.”

A spokesman for the charity said: “The Mammals on Roads app is free and easy to use.

“It has illustrations of each mammal and has audio descriptions to help guide anyone who is not sure what they have seen.

“So whether you see an easily recognisable hedgehog, fox or badger, or a trickier-to-spot stoat or weasel, anyone can take part.”

Mammals on Roads has been running since 2001 and, along with other long-running surveys led by PTES, its data has helped identify the decline in native hedgehogs.

Thanks to the many volunteers who take part each year, PTES said it is building a nationwide picture of how mammal numbers are changing, which is crucial to ensure their long-time survival.

To take part, search for Mammals on Roads on the App Store or Google Play.