As the leaves begin to fall from the trees it becomes easier to spot squirrels. They are currently putting on weight ready for the winter ahead and may be burying nuts in the hope of finding them later. Our native red squirrels are now officially classified as Endangered by our new Red List, having virtually…
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Photo Caption Contest – National #MammalWeek 2018
It’s #MammalWeek competition time! Can you give a funny/witty/adorable caption to last year’s winning photo of the Mammal Comedian of the Year category? You have until midnight on Sunday 28 October to send us your best caption and then we’ll choose our favourite on Monday. But what’s the prize you say? It’s a family ticket (2…
Foxy Friday – National #MammalWeek 2018
In the upcoming winter months, the fox breeding season will begin. For those of us living amongst foxes, this means the start of the ‘screaming’ season. This sound can be heard throughout the year and is produced by both sexes but is often associated with winter when the females (vixens) call to find a mate….
A very hoppy rabbit and hare Thursday – National #MammalWeek 2018
Rabbits and hares are among our most familiar mammals. From Peter Rabbit to Alice in Wonderland’s Mad March Hare, they are ingrained in our culture and heritage. Yet only the mountain hare is native: the brown hare and the rabbit were introduced. There is ongoing debate about the exact date of these introductions, but the…
Water vole Wednesday – National #MammalWeek2018
Water voles (Arvicola amphibius) are one of our most rapidly declining species and are now officially classified as Endangered by our recently published IUCN Red List. The reduction in the number of water voles is mostly attributed to habitat degradation beginning in the 1940s and 1950s, which has been exacerbated by predation from American mink…
Tiggy-Winkle Tuesday – National #MammalWeek2018
During the autumn hedgehogs are preparing for hibernation by eating lots of their favourite invertebrate foods in order to accumulate fat. Hedgehogs probably need to consume 60-80g wet weight per night, and unlike other animals, such as squirrels, they do not hide, or cache, food for later. As hedgehogs are nocturnal, you will usually see…
Holy moley its Monday! National #MammalWeek 2018
Moles are one of Britain’s least studied species and as such it is currently unclear whether their numbers are increasing or decreasing. They eat invertebrates and it is therefore possible that the mole population may have been affected by changes in farming and the use of pesticides. During the autumn young moles will have just…
It’s Otter Saturday ! National #MammalWeek 2018
Otters are medium-large sized carnivores, with flattened heads and a broad muzzle. They have dark brown fur, slightly lighter than the American mink. When otters swim, they use all four legs underwater, leaving only their head visible on the surface. This creates a bow wave (large V-shaped wave). Otters are difficult to spot, but they often leave…
