News Archive

2008 2007 2006 2005

2008

Update on TMP survey results 2008

Following the publication in 2005 of the first major report, UK Mammals: Species Status and Population Trends, the Tracking Mammals Partnership (TMP) has published the third annual update (2008). This update aims to provide a summary of current trends for all mammals covered in the TMP schemes, information on progress with improving species coverage, and explain more about the uses of the information collected by volunteers. The TMP is currently reporting annual trends for 35 terrestrial mammals, 54% of our land mammal fauna. Sixteen species, 46%, have increasing populations, and 11 species, 31%, have stable populations. Six species, 17%, are declining, and for two species the trends are unclear. Unfortunately, four of the increasing species - common rat, grey squirrel, sika deer and muntjac - are non-natives that cause problems for our native fauna.

Publication of National Gamebag Census 2007-08

The Game and Wildlife Conservation trust has published their latest research report Participation of the National Gamebag Census in the Mammal Surveillance Network 2007-08 which provides abundance and distribution data for 19 mammal species (Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, Brown Hare Lepus europaeus, Mountain Hare Lepus timidus, Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus, Red Deer Cervus elaphus, Fallow Deer Dama dama, Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi, Sika Deer Cervus nippon, Chinese Water Deer Hydropotes inermis, Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus, Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis, Fox Vulpes vulpes, Feral Cat Felis catus, Weasel Mustela nivalis, Stoat Mustela erminea, Polecat Mustela putorius, Mink Mustela vison, Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus), based from information collected on 600 estates. At the UK level, mammal species coverage is good except for Chinese Water Deer and Wild Boar. At the UK level, the NGC data show significant medium-term (post-1960) increases in bag sizes for Rabbit, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Grey Squirrel, Fox, Stoat, Mink and Brown Rat, and significant medium-term decreases in bag sizes for Brown Hare, Hedgehog, Feral Cat and Weasel.

Publication of The State of the UK's Bats 2006

In February 2008, The Bat Conservation Trust published The State of the UK's Bats 2006 which is the third summary report on species population trends from the National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) and covers the period Jan 1997 – Feb 2007. It aims to be a quick reference guide to NBMP trend results.

Update on TMP survey results 2007

This is the second annual update following the first major report on UK mammals’ status and trends, published in 2005. Eleven native species (mole, greater horseshoe bat, lesser horseshoe bat, Natterer’s bat, Daubenton’s bat, common pipistrelle, stoat, weasel, badger, otter and roe deer) have increasing populations. However, five non-native species (grey squirrel, rat, sika deer, fallow deer and muntjac) also have increasing populations, which can pose a threat to our more vulnerable natives, such as red squirrel and wildcat. There is bad news for some of our native species with continued declines for hedgehog, water vole and hazel dormouse. This update also provide a summary of current trends for all mammals covered in the TMP schemes, progress with increasing species coverage and explain more about the uses of the information collected by volunteers.

Publication of National Bat Monitoring Programme report 2006

The Bat Conservation Trust has published National Bat Monitoring Programme report 2006 which produces statistically robust population trends for 11 of the UK’s 17 resident bat species. Significant positive trends were reported for greater horseshoe (Colony Count), lesser horseshoe (Hibernation Survey & Colony Count), Daubenton’s bat (Waterway Survey), Natterer’s bat (Hibernation Survey) and common pipistrelle (Field Survey). The greater horseshoe and Daubenton’s bat trends should still be treated with caution, and Significant negative trends were reported for common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle (Colony Counts).. Surveys for other species showed no significant changes.

2007

Publication of National Gamebag Census 2006-07

The Game and Wildlife Conservation trust has published their latest research report Participation of the National Gamebag Census in the Mammal Surveillance Network 2006-07 which provides abundance and distribution data for 19 mammal species (Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, Brown Hare Lepus europaeus, Mountain Hare Lepus timidus, Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus, Red Deer Cervus elaphus, Fallow Deer Dama dama, Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi, Sika Deer Cervus nippon, Chinese Water Deer Hydropotes inermis, Wild Boar Sus scrofa, Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus, Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis, Fox Vulpes vulpes, Feral Cat Felis catus, Weasel Mustela nivalis, Stoat Mustela erminea, Polecat Mustela putorius, Mink Mustela vison, Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus).

Publication of The production of population trends for UK mammals using BBS mammal data: 1995-2005

The Brtitish Trust for Ornithology has published their latest report The production of population trends for UK mammals using BBS mammal data: 1995-2005 update which uses mammal data recorded by Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) participants on their 1-km squares. Annual indices of relative abundance are produced at a national scale for nine mammal species – Brown Hare, Mountain/Irish Hare, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Red Fox, Red Deer, Fallow Deer, Roe Deer and Reeves’ Muntjac. There are six mammal species (Badger, Mole, Hedgehog, Brown Rat, Stoat and Weasel) for which there were insufficient count data to produce indices of abundance, but for which evidence such as field signs, dead animals or gamekeeper knowledge could be used to record occurrence.

Publication of Red squirrel pilot study

The pilot study on Developing a monitoring strategy for red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) accros the UK funded by JNCC and PTES is now available. It was carried out by a consortium of universities, and aims to produce surveillance guidelines. Further information on red squirrels can be found on the UKRSG website.

2006

The Ministry of Defence is the latest organisation to join the TMP

The TMP now has 25 UK organisations in the Partnership, with the inclusion in 2005 of Defence Estates, the land management agency for the Ministry of Defence, one of the largest land owning bodies in the UK. Defence Estates has about 170 conservation groups actively contributing to National Schemes in support of their Biodiversity Action Plan. Defence Estates has issued a press release about their membership of Tracking Mammals that coincides with National Mammal Week.

New surveys underway

Getting to grips with small mammals

Shrews, mice and voles are notoriously difficult to survey because they are very small and hardly ever seen. Even their signs are difficult to see and identify. In 2005, The Mammal Society, funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), carried out a one year study to develop a surveillance scheme for small mammals and produced a report proposing a National Small Mammal Surveillance Scheme. The next steps will be to test the proposed survey design and methods. The Mammal Society is already running small mammal trapping and mammal identification courses to prepare surveyors for this new challenge.

Red squirrels – are they too elusive to survey?

Very shy and secretive and generally living at low densities in conifer forests, where they are able to survive in the absence of the introduced grey squirrel, red squirrels have been in severe decline for decades. Understanding the population changes for this species in areas where only red squirrels exist and being able to track the spread of grey squirrels into red only areas will help with red squirrel conservation and the management of refuge areas. JNCC and PTES are jointly funding a two-year pilot study, carried out by a consortium of universities, to produce surveillance guidelines. Further information on red squirrels can be found on the UKRSG website.

2005

New Publication on Managing Volunteer Networks

The TMP, in conjunction with the National Biodiversity Network Trust, has published a manual on engaging with volunteers. The manual is the product of a workshop that was held by TMP organisations in 2003 and contains valuable information on how to attract volunteers to survey work, training, providing feedback and health and safety issues.