UK mammals - winners and losers

The Tracking Mammals Partnership (TMP) has recently published the first major report on UK mammal population trends. The report assesses population change for 33 species and one subspecies, representing over 50% of land mammals in the UK.  Analysis shows that 40% of natives are increasing, 12% are declining, 16% have stable populations and for 32% the trends are unclear at present, with more years of data required before population change can be assessed reliably. For non-natives, 66% are increasing, 11% are declining and 22% have stable populations.

 

 

TMP is a collaborative initiative involving 24 organisations, which aims to provide good quality data to guide conservation and wildlife management policy for mammals, through standardising survey design, assessing where information is missing, exchanging data and expertise, and sharing best practice and information. There is also co-operation to recruit, train and support the network of volunteers who carry out the surveys.

 

The data are being collected in a programme of 17 surveillance schemes, with over 14,000 volunteers currently taking part every year, carrying out over 140,000 hours of survey work and covering more than 16,500 survey sites across the UK. The estimated value of the time given by volunteers is in the region of £4.5 million a year, and shows the vital contribution they make to the success of mammal monitoring. The Partnership plans to introduce new surveillance schemes over the next few years for as many of the remaining land mammal species as possible.

 

UK Mammals: Species Status and Population Trends. First Report by the Tracking Mammals Partnership. The report is available through NHBS, price £7.00, on +44 (0) 1803 865913 or at www.nhbs.com

 

The report can also be downloaded free from the TMP website at www.trackingmammals.org

 

The Partnership has produced an eight page leaflet on the work of TMP, which is being distributed to all volunteers.