Established in 1954, we are a UK-based charity devoted to the study and conservation of the mammals of the British Isles. We aim to raise awareness of the issues mammals face and share our scientific research so they can be best protected in the future.
Discover our history below.
Click on the paw prints to find out about some of the key dates in the history of the Mammal Society.
The History of the Mammal Society
Since our formation in 1954, the Mammal Society has worked with a huge variety of fantastic animal groups and charities. Click on the drop down menu to learn more about some of our milestones.
1954 – The society was formed under the name of The Mammal Society of the British Isles (TMSBI) following a meeting of prominent zoologists, naturalists and the Zoological Society of London
1963 – The Deer Group separated from TMSBI, now known today as The British Deer Society
1967 – Society renamed to The Mammal Society
1990 – The Bat Group separated from The Mammal Society, now known today as The Bat Conservation Trust
1991 – The Sea Watch Foundation was set up
1995 – The development and establishment of Local Mammal Groups began
1999 – The first National Mammal Week took place, showcasing events and activities to raise awareness of British Mammals and their protection
2004 – Celebration of 50 years of the society
2004 – Launch of the University Mammal Challenge
2013 – Launch of the Members’ mentor scheme to help with questions from members
2018 – The Mammal Mapper App launches in May
One of our core aims is to publish science and make this freely available to the public. Click on the drop down menu to discover some of our past research and publications.
1956 – A Field Guide to British Deer, our first book, was published
1964 – The first edition of The Handbook of British Mammals published
1970-1971 – The Mammal Review began, filling gaps in current literature and aiding understanding of UK mammals, including sharing some of the first provisional mammal distribution maps and the production of the earliest national atlas for any British Mammals
1976 – The Guide to Cetacean Identification published
1977 – Second edition of The Handbook of British Mammals was published
1993 – A Red Data Book for British Mammals was published, supported by the Vincent Wildlife Trust, taking stock of species at risk, drawing attention to the lack of knowledge on population sizes
1995 – The National Bat Monitoring Programme was commissioned to develop effective monitoring strategies for resident UK bats, including the publication of a Bat Atlas
1995 – A Review of British Mammals: Population Estimates and Conservation Status of British Mammals other than Cetaceans was published, funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, providing the most comprehensive data to date of estimated population sizes, trends and threats
2001 – Online distribution maps made available to the public to show the distribution of all UK mammals
2001 – The State of British Mammals Report Leaflet produced
2006 – Production of Shrew News
2008 – Publication of the 4th Edition of the Handbook, Mammals of the British Isles
2008 – Edited the British Mammals book for Ibis
2009 – Mammal Notes publication launched
2011 – The Mammal Society writes about Mammals for CIEEM’s Competencies for Species Survey
2011 – Hosted the 29th European Mustelid Colloquium in Southampton
2012 – Publication of the UK BAP Mammal Survey methods impact assessment and mitigation
2013 – Start of the National Atlas Project, published in 2020
2014 – Partnership working with iRecord on mammal records
2015 – Release of the online South East Mammal Atlas
2015 – Mammal Notes renamed to Mammal Communications
2016 – The Water Vole Mitigation Handbook published
2016 – Review of Wild Guides’ Britain’s Mammals Book, published in 2017
2018 – Britain’s Mammals The Mammal Society’s Guide to their Population Status published, providing an estimate of the population size of each terrestrial mammal in Britain using data from 1995-2016
2019 – The State of Nature Report 2019 is published, including the Mammal Society as a partner, documenting how human impacts are driving sweeping changes in wildlife in the UK
2020 – Red List of British Mammals published, finding that ¼ of UK mammals are threatened with extinction
2020 – The Atlas of the Mammals of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was published, covering data gathered from 2000 to 2016
2020 – The State of Mammals in Wales is published
2021 – In collaboration with the University of Sussex, Mammal Society research reveals that four in seven UK mammal species are found to be plastic positive
2023 – First National Harvest Mouse Survey report released
Our publications are informed by our ongoing research, and provide us with a way to educate both the public and professionals about UK mammals and how to survey them. Click on the drop down menu to find out more about our past and present surveys and how they have helped to inform policy.
1965 – The National Distribution Scheme launched, allowing society members to submit their records of mammal sightings
1969 – The National Distribution Scheme linked with the NCC’s Biological Records Centre to share records throughout the UK
1975 – Earlier enquiries by the society into otter distribution in the late 60s helps to inform the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plant Act 1975, later forming part of the Wildlife and Countryside Act
1977-1979 – The first national Otter survey was initiated
1979 – The first National Harvest Mouse Survey took place, indicating areas of decline, with surveys continuing into the future
1979 – The first Common Dormouse survey was developed, leading to successful conservation measures
1982 – Work with The British Deer Society resulted in the first distribution survey for Muntjac
1982 – The Mammal Society becomes involved with the National Woodland Small Rodent Survey, measuring underlying causes of changes in abundance of species. This continued every 6 months until 1995
1985 – The National Badger Survey and National Badger Sett Surveys run, highlighting the importance of legal and illegal culling and persecution
1994 – The second National Badger Survey runs
1996 – The first National Hare Survey runs, continuing again in 1998 and 2000
1996 – The first Pine Marten Survey runs, showing the contraction of population ranges
1998 – The Yellow–necked mice survey highlighted the current distribution of the species in south England and south east Wales
2000 – The first National Survey of the Red Fox helped to assess population sizes and diet, as well as information about the population changes due to the fox hunting ban in 2001
2001 – Winter Mammal Monitoring in collaboration with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) determined abundance, distribution and population change in mammals to provide conservation objectives, repeated again in 2005
2001 – The first survey of sarcoptic mange in foxes begins in collaboration with the National Fox Welfare Society and The Fox Project
2001 – The Mammal Society contributes to the Wildlife and Countryside Link to influence the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy in Europe
2003-2005 – A two–year water shrew survey is launched, developing methods to indicate species status, distribution and optimal habitats, creating the first national data set on water shrew distribution
2003 – The Tracking Mammals Partnership with JNCC and DEFRA begins – a surveillance monitoring network across the UK that aims to gain information about the changing status of UK mammals to inform the Habitats Directive and UK BAPs
2005 – National Fox Survey
2006 – Survey on the distribution and habitat occurrence of water shrews in Great Britain
2006 – Launch of the Small Mammal Pilot project
2009-2013 – Mini Mammal Monitoring Survey
2011 – Pilot hedgehog survey launched using footprint tunnels with Richard Yarnell
2012 – National Harvest Mouse Survey run by Diane White
2014 – Launch of the Mammal Watch South East (MaWSE) project to survey and record and publish a SE Mammal Atlas
2016 – The Water Vole Displacement Project with WildCRU launched
2021 – Relaunch of the National Harvest Mouse Survey in October 2021
2022 – The 6th Otter Survey of England takes place – the first otter survey since 2009/10.
