The Mammal Society

For Evidence Based Conservation

 

Media Information & Press Releases

The Mammal Society publish press releases to publicise new announcements and developments in mammal research.

If you have information that may be of interest to the Mammal Society or are interested in receiving our press releases, please contact:

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Predicting hedgehog mortality risks on British roads

Mammal charities identify worst areas for hedgehog road deaths

Hedgehogs by Zoe Shreeve

If you are driving in the suburbs of Leeds, Manchester, Stoke on Trent or Birmingham this year, look out for one of Britain’s iconic and most threatened mammals.

In research just published, the Mammal Society details when, where and why hedgehog roadkill is most likely to occur, with the outskirts of cities in central Britain emerging as particular blackspots. The charity intends to use the results of the project as the first step towards determining whether measures such as reducing speed in hotspot areas would help to reduce the number of hedgehog road deaths.

The research, funded by the Mammal Society, People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), analysed more than 12,500 hedgehog roadkill records. The data were collected over 18 years by members of the public taking part in a range of citizen science projects, including PTES’ Mammals on Roads survey, Cardiff University’s Project Splatter, Hedgehog Street’s the BIG Hedgehog Map and the Mammal Society’s Mammal Mapper.

Britain’s hedgehog numbers are in severe decline. According to the Mammal Society’s latest population review, estimates have reduced from 1.5 million individuals in 1995 to a mere 500,000 in 2018. The most recent State of Britain’s Hedgehogs report, published by PTES & BHPS in 2018, estimated hedgehogs in rural areas have declined by a half, and in urban areas by a third since 2000. Possible reasons for this include: loss of habitat and food sources; increased predation and competition with other mammals; and deaths caused by road collisions.

The latest study found that around 9% of the 400,000km of road in Britain is particularly perilous for hedgehogs. Grassland areas, and the outskirts of urban areas, have the highest risk, and major roads are particularly hazardous, despite forming a relatively small proportion of the total road network. Many of the high-risk locations were in central Britain, southern Wales, the outskirts of London, north-east England, and the Central-Belt of Scotland.

“As well as pinpointing areas of most concern, we were able to identify a seasonal peak in hedgehog roadkills in July: a time when vulnerable young hedgehogs are leaving their birthplace to forage alone.” says Mammal Society scientist, and author of the paper, Patrick Wright.

Patrick continues “The good news is that knowing where and when hedgehog road fatalities occur means that we will eventually be able to target our efforts to reduce hedgehog roadkill. Not just on certain roads but also at specific times of year.”

Fiona Mathews, Chair of the Mammal Society and Professor of Environmental Biology at the University of Sussex, says “We are now focused on finding ways of keeping hedgehogs safe from road traffic accidents. Bridges and tunnels, whilst the most obvious solution, will only be effective where most animals are crossing within a very restricted location rather than over a longer stretch of road. Elsewhere, slower road speeds or the presence of favourable habitat such as hedgerows and grassy verges parallel to, rather than at right-angles to roads, may help to keep hedgehogs safe What we need is for members of the public to help us pinpoint the exact locations of hedgehog roadkills so we can work out the best solutions, which could include installing bridges or altering speed limits.”

Nida Al-Fulaij, Grants Manager at PTES, says: “PTES and BHPS are funding research at Nottingham Trent University into the impact roads are having on hedgehogs. The work will investigate whether particular groups in a population are more at risk, and whether road mortality is severe enough in some areas to cause local populations to become extinct.”

Fay Vass, CEO of BHPS adds: “This research will consider what mitigation can be developed to protect hedgehogs, especially as most of us need to drive and traffic levels are unlikely to change in the near future. This, along with small changes to our gardens and recording sightings of hedgehogs, will help to save this charismatic species.”

All three charities are calling on the general public for help to pinpoint casualties in future. The Mammal Mapper, Project Splatter and Mammals on Roads free apps enable people to record sightings on the go and Hedgehog Street’s BIG Hedgehog Map and PTES’ Mammals on Roads websites collect records online. For more information visit www.bighedgehogmap.org and www.ptes.org/mor.

You can find out if your area is a hedgehog roadkill hotspot by visiting the map on the Mammal Society website at www.mammal.org.uk/science-research/hedgehog-hotspots/. If you would like to help fund work to reduce hedgehog road deaths you can donate to the Mammal Society’s #HogsOnRoads appeal at www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/hogsonroads2020.

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Photograph – Hedgehogs by Zoe Shreeve

For more information contact – pr@themammalsociety.org

To view a copy of Predicting hedgehog mortality risks on British roads using habitat suitability modelling Patrick G R Wright, Frazer G Coomber, Chloe C Bellamy , Sarah E Perkins, Fiona Mathews go to https://www.mammal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Predicting-hedgehog-mortality-risks-on-British-roads-January-2020.pdf.

 

Search for Britain’s most talented mammal photographer begins!

Bearded seal by Austin Taylor MPOY2019. Bearded seals are rarely spotted on Britain’s coastline.

Mammal Society launches its annual Mammal Photographer of the Year competition with a brand new category for 2020.

Many of us have never even seen a mole or a weasel, let alone been in a position to photograph one. However, this year the Mammal Society has set Britain’s talented amateur wildlife photographers the additional challenge of photographing some of the country’s most elusive mammals.

The wildlife conservation charity’s Information Officer Beth Smith explains “We wholeheartedly welcome photographs of all of Britain’s wild mammals, the more the merrier! This year though, we have added the new “Elusive Mammals” category to also encourage photographers to look out for rarely photographed species such as bats, shrews, stoats and whales.”

Mammal Society Chair, Fiona Mathews adds “Most of Britain’s mammals are difficult to photograph at the best of time, not least because we know that their numbers are dwindling. Some are simply tricky to capture on film because they are nocturnal, live underwater or are simply too small or quick. However, the nation’s amateur photographers are a talented lot and we can’t wait to see what they come up with.”

The Mammal Photographer of the Year competition opens on Thursday 24 October during the wildlife charity’s annual National Mammal Week celebrations. Judging this year’s competition are author, broadcaster and Mammal Society patron, Zeb Soanes, professional wildlife photographer, Brett Lewis and Mammal Society Council member and wildcat specialist, Roo Campbell.

This year’s other categories are Mammals of Great Britain (first prize and runner up), Young Mammal Photographer of the Year (16-18 years and 15 years and under), Mammal Comedian of the Year and Mammal Society Member’s photograph.

Each year over 300 entries are received and prizes are presented at the opening of the Mammal Society Spring Conference, which in 2020 will be held at the University of Cambridge. Prizes will be presented by this year’s Cranbrook speaker, Professor of Conservation Science at Cambridge, Andrew Balmford. The closing date for entries is 1 February 2020. For full terms and conditions and details of how to enter go to www.mammal.org.uk/mpoy. 

Prizes announced to date include: a bat photography masterclass; wildlife photography days courtesy of British Wildlife Centre and Westcountry Wildlife Photography Centre; a camera trap donated by NatureSpy; binoculars and a squirrel feeder donated by CJ Wildlife; a £100 voucher from CEWE photographic printing service; and, a £50 voucher and subscription to British Wildlife Magazine courtesy of NHBS. 

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

Contact: For more information contact: pr@themammalsociety.org

Photograph: Bearded Seal by Austin Taylor from MPOY2019. 

State of Nature Report 2019

The Mammal Society is pleased to have worked with many other conservation organisations in the UK to produce the State of Nature Report 2019. Thousands of records collected by Mammal Society volunteers, and the work we have done to assess the conservation status of our mammals, underpins the report.

To view a copy if the Report please click here.

Below is a press release issued on 3 October 2019.

 

 

 

No let-up in net loss of UK’s nature

The UK’s wildlife continues to decline according to the State of Nature 2019 report. The latest findings show that since rigorous scientific monitoring began in the 1970s there has been a 13% decline in average abundance across wildlife studied and that the declines continue unabated.

Following the State of Nature reports in 2013 and 2016, leading professionals from more than 70 wildlife organisations have joined with government agencies for the first time, to present the clearest picture to date of the status of our species across land and sea.

The State of Nature 2019 report also reveals that 41% of UK species studied have declined, 26% have increased and 33% shown little change since 1970, while 133 species assessed have already been lost from our shores since 1500.  

Butterflies and moths have been particularly hard hit with numbers of butterflies down by 17% and moths down by 25%. The numbers of species, such as the High Brown Fritillary and Grayling, that require more specialised habitats have declined by more than three quarters.

The UK’s mammals also fare badly with greater than 26% of species at risk of disappearing altogether. The Wild Cat and Greater Mouse-eared Bat are among those species teetering on the edge of disappearing.

Much is known about the causes of decline and about some of the ways in which we could reduce impacts and help struggling species. The evidence from the last 50 years shows that significant and ongoing changes in the way we manage our land for agriculture, and the ongoing effects of climate change are having the biggest impacts on nature.

Pollution is also a major issue. Whilst emissions of many pollutants have been reduced dramatically in recent decades, pollution continues to have a severe impact on the UK’s sensitive habitats and freshwaters, and new pollutant threats are continuing to emerge.

Daniel Hayhow, lead author on the report, said: “We know more about the UK’s wildlife than any other country on the planet, and what it is telling us should make us sit up and listen. We need to respond more urgently across the board if we are to put nature back where it belongs. Governments, conservation groups and individuals must continue to work together to help restore our land and sea for wildlife and people in a way that is both ambitious and inspiring for future generations”

“In this report we have drawn on the best available data on the UK’s biodiversity, produced by partnerships between conservation NGOs, research institutes, UK and national governments, and thousands of dedicated volunteers. It’s through working together that we can help nature recover but the battle must intensify.”

Whilst the data that the report shows are alarming there is also cause for some cautious hope. The report showcases a wide range of exciting conservation initiatives, with partnerships delivering inspiring results for some of the UK’s nature. Species such as Bitterns and Large Blue Butterfly have been saved through the concerted efforts of organisations and individuals.

Reflecting growing concern about the environmental and climate emergencies, public support for conservation also continues to grow, with NGO expenditure up by 26% since 2010/11 and time donated by volunteers having increased by 40% since 2000. However, public sector expenditure on biodiversity in the UK, as a proportion of GDP, has fallen by 42% since a peak in 2008/09.

The report has a foreword by a collective of young conservationists who are passionate about conservation and the future of our wildlife and nature to preserve it for future generations.

Dan Rouse, a young conservationist said, “Nature is something that shaped my childhood, that allowed me to be free to use my sense of wonder, and to gain an insight into the wonderful world of nature! It’s young people that are now picking up the baton to save our nature – we’ve already lost Corn Buntings and Nightingales in Wales – how long until they’re gone from the rest of the UK? Along with the eerie calls of curlew and the gentle purr of the turtle doves.”

Sophie Pavelle, a young conservationist said “What a huge wake-up call 2019 has been! I have felt the loss of nature more acutely this year than any other. A dawn chorus less deafening, hedgerows less frantic, bizarre, worrying weather…it seems that in a more complex world nature is tired, muted and confused. People protect what they love, and if we can find quirky, empowering ways to encourage young people to connect with nature emotionally and see it as something they can truly champion – only then can we dig deep to find real hope for a brighter, sustained future for our natural world.”

Fiona Mathews, Professor of Environmental Biology, University of Sussex and Chair of the Mammal Society said “We have identified seven species of mammal which are in grave danger of disappearing from our landscape, the wildcat, greater mouse-eared bat, grey long-eared bat, black rat, red squirrel, water vole and beaver. Populations of some of Britain’s most iconic mammals, including the hedgehog and the dormouse, are also declining. Wildlife charities are united in their belief that there is hope. We highlight, in the State of Nature, some of the key threats to British Wildlife, including urban expansion, pollution and land management. There are now opportunities to tackle these issues and create an environment good for both wildlife and people. We also call on the public to help us find out more about the state of British Mammals, and identify ways to halt the decline. We have the data gathering technology at our fingertips and we would urge everyone to get involved.”

Ends

For further information and to arrange an interview, please contact:

Jo Wright, Mammal Society, PR and Marketing Officer: 02380 010983 / 077960 98108  pr@themammalsociety.org

Martin Fowlie, RSPB Media Relations Manager: 01767 693257 / 07740 756624  martin.fowlie@rspb.org.uk

Photographs:

Please contact either of the press contacts above.

Photograph accompanying this press release Rabbit by Ben Hall/RSPB images.

Editor’s notes

  1. A full copy of the State of Nature 2019 report can be viewed here.
  2. The State of Nature 2019 UK partnership includes: A Focus On Nature, A Rocha, Action for Conservation, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC), Association of Local Environmental Records Centres (ALERC), Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group, Bat Conservation Ireland, Bat Conservation Trust (BCT), Biodiversity Ireland, Biological Records Centre (BRC), Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, British Arachnological Society (BAS), British Bryological Society (BBS), British Dragonfly Society (BDS), British Lichen Society, British Mycological Society (BMS), British Pteridological Society (BPS), British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Buglife, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM), Chester Zoo, Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Continuous Plankton Recorder, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (Durrell), Earthwatch, Freshwater Habitats Trust, Friends of the Earth, Froglife, Isle of Man Government, iSpot (The Open University), Jersey Government Department of the Environment, John Muir Trust, Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Local Environmental Records Centre Wales, Mammal Society, Manx BirdLife, Marine Biological Association (MBA), Marine Conservation Society, Marine Ecosystems Research Programme, MARINELife, National Biodiversity Network (NBN), National Forum for Biological Recording, CEDAR Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, National Trust, National Trust for Scotland, Natural England (NE), Natural History Museum, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Northern Ireland Bat Group, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), ORCA, People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), Plantlife, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Scottish Badgers, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Scottish Environment Link, Scottish Wild Land Group, Shark Trust, States of Guernsey, The Fungus Conservation Trust, Trees for Life, Ulster Wildlife Trust, University of Plymouth, University of Sheffield, Vincent Wildlife Trust, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), Wildlife Trusts, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Woodland Trust, WWF, Zoological Society of London (ZSL)

Get creative for conservation – National Mammal Week 2019

From tiny bats to prowling wildcats, all of Britain’s mammals matter. Very sadly the Mammal Society’s 2018 Review of the Population and Conservation Status of British Mammals found that 1 in 5 wild land mammals are at risk of extinction. From this review the wildlife charity created the UK’s first Red List, which features some of our most iconic species such as, wildcats, red squirrels, water voles, hedgehogs, and barbastelle bats. It is simply not an option to let these species dwindle into non-existence, and that’s why for this year’s National Mammal Week, the Mammal Society will be highlighting the plight of those species most at risk.

Running from Friday 18 through to Sunday 27 October, each day of the Mammal Society’s National Mammal Week will focus on a different at-risk species from the Red List. There will be daily expert blogs featuring current project updates, a student spotlight, family activities, competitions and much more to get involved with! 

This week the Mammal Society are kicking off the fun early with the launch of a t-shirt designing competition! The competition is open to primary school age children and teens, with two age categories: 4 – 11 years and 12 – 18 years. The idea is to use the Red List species as inspiration to create a bright and eye-catching design for a new Mammal Society t-shirt. The two winners will see their design available on the Mammal Society’s Teemill store and will also receive a t-shirt with their very own design on! Designs must be received on white A4 paper by midnight on 10 November and the winners will be announced on 11 November (please note deadline has been extended to cover school holidays). So, get creative for conservation this National Mammal Week and remember, #MammalsMatter!

More information and entry details for the t-shirt competition can be found here. For any questions please contact pr@themammalsociety.org.

For up to the minute details of what’s in store this National Mammal Week go to www.mammal.org.uk/national-mammal-week/.

Autumn Symposium 2019 – Urbanisation & biodiversity

This year’s Autumn Symposium will focus on Urbanisation and biodiversity and we’ll be asking if cities really can be made sustainable for wildlife.

We’ll be exploring how we manage growing pressure for urbanisation and associated infrastructure requirements whilst also conserving wildlife. The symposium will feature new research on green infrastructure, assess threats such as sound pollution and discuss effective mitigation.

With speakers from the universities of Cambridge, Keele, Leeds, Northumbria and Sussex as well as Natural England, the Dutch Mammal Society, Arup and WSP not to mention input from Mammal Society experts, this is not a conversation to be missed. 

Providing an introduction to the day will be broadcaster Zeb Soanes, who will be making his Mammal Society debut as our brand new patron. 

Presentations include:

  • Light and sound pollution: overlooked threats to wildlife?
  • Distribution of floral resources in cities: are gardens and allotments better than parks?
  • Incorporating animal movement, as well as habitat suitability, into strategic planning

To view the full programme and find out how to book your place click here. 

Photo of Fox in Bristol by Ian Wade.

Free mammal tracking app turns amateurs into ecologists

Free mammal tracking app turns amateurs into ecologists

How often have you been a passenger in a car and counted the foxes, badgers, deer and rabbits that you’ve seen (alive or dead) on the roadside? What about all the mammals you’ve seen whilst you’re out on your morning dog walk or weekend stroll? These sightings feel significant, but how can you report them? The Mammal Society have developed a user-friendly app, Mammal Mapper, that enables you to capture these records on your phone, as you go, recording not only species details but also time and location.

Mammal Mapper App logo

The Mammal Society have just launched a brand new version of their free Mammal Mapper app, with easier recording and merging of the functions of their two older apps, Mammal Tracker and the original Mammal Mapper. The updated app, which previously allowed users to map an entire route and the mammals seen along it, also now allows users to log one-off sightings.

Users of the app are therefore able to build a library of the mammals and mammal signs they have spotted, as well as the routes they have followed. This information can then be submitted to help scientists and data analysts understand more about the distribution of mammals across Britain.

The Mammal Society’s Science Officer Frazer Coomber says, “Feedback from users of both of our apps told us that users wanted to be able to record one off sightings, as well as record mammals spotted along a route. On top of this we’ve improved the scope and content of our ID guides to include more information as well giving more sign and observation options which means that people can now record feeding remains, roadkill and other indicators of mammal presence.”

The app also now contains a field to enter a Survey ID meaning that users can take part in dedicated surveys being run by the Mammal Society and essentially become ecologists.

Otter tracks by Derek Crawley

Over the next few months the public are invited to take part in the charity’s “Walk This Water Way” citizen science project. Users of the app are being asked to walk along waterways and use the Mammal Mapper app with “WTWW” as the Survey ID, whilst recording sightings of semi aquatic mammals such as otters, American mink and water voles. As it’s been 10 years since the last National Otter Survey, the charity are particularly keen to re-evaluate otter distribution across the UK and see much of the UK has been recolonised by these animals. Whether you’re on a solo walk or out with the family, this is a fun way of recording what you’ve seen, and even what you haven’t seen, and contributing towards wildlife conservation!

Frazer explains, “With the data uploaded from the app we can identify where people are actually looking for mammals and where they aren’t. At the very least, this tells us that the gaps on our maps don’t necessarily mean that there are no mammals there, but rather people aren’t looking there. This is incredibly useful information and means that users can contribute to conservation efforts at zero cost while simply going about their daily business.”

Do you want to get involved? For more information about the Mammal Mapper App, go to https://www.mammal.org.uk/volunteering/mammal-mapper/

For more information about the Walk This Water Way project go to https://www.mammal.org.uk/volunteering/walk-this-water-way/.

Are we driving hedgehogs to extinction?

Photo by Zoe Shreeve

A squashed hedgehog on the side of the road used to be such a common sight that a road safety campaign was launched on the back of it. Who over the age of about thirty doesn’t remember 1997’s King of the Road hedgehogs? Twenty years later it is rare to see a dead hedgehog, let alone a live one.

The Mammal Society estimated last year that Britain’s hedgehog population may have decreased by as much as 73% in the last twenty years. This means that any hedgehog sighting, whether the mammal is alive or dead, takes on a sobering significance.

Together with People’s Trust for Endangered Species and British Hedgehog Preservation Society the Mammal Society is looking at how we might reduce the number of deaths on roads for this already very vulnerable species.

Professor Fiona Mathews, the Mammal Society Chair, explains “We know that vehicles are still one of the main threats to hedgehog conservation. The most recent estimate of hedgehog road casualties, published in our journal Mammal Communications, is that between 167,000 and 335,000 hedgehogs are killed annually. So, we are trying to work out where and when casualties occur, in order that we can then take steps to prevent them.  For example, we want to assess whether casualties are more common at the edges of towns and cities, or where there are features like walls or hedgerows leading up to roads that might encourage animals to try to cross.”

The team aim to complete the research this summer and will then use the information to make recommendations on preventing hedgehog road deaths.

The Mammal Society need help to raise £1,500 (their share of the funding for the #HogsOnRoads project). To make a donation, however small, please visit https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/9945 or visit the Ways to Support Us page on the Mammal Society website www.mammals.org.uk.

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Note to Editors

Useful information

About the Mammal Society

  • The Mammal Society is a charitable organisation working at the interface of science, policy-making and practice. As the only society with an interest in all British mammals, its mission is to identify effective conservation strategies and to provide the scientific evidence-base for policy and practice.
  • The Mammal Society recently completed the first review of the Population and Conservation Status of British Mammals for more than 20 years. The Review was published by Natural England in June 2018, together with the Red List of Threatened Mammals for Great Britain. A technical summary of the Review and Red List are available on the Mammal Society website www.mammal.org.uk. Britain’s Mammals 2018, a fully-illustrated guide to the status of Britain’s mammals along with the complete 700-page Review are available from NHBS.
  • The Mammal Society’s Review of the Status of Mammals in Wales will be published in September 2019.
  • The Mammal Society’s Autumn Symposium “Sustainable Cities for Wildlife” will take place on Wednesday 9 October in London. For more information on Mammal Society Events and Courses go to https://www.mammal.org.uk/events/.
  • The Mammal Society’s conservation work is supported through the generosity of our members. Currently our work includes investigating the causes of hedgehog declines and monitoring the status of all British Mammals with the help of citizen science volunteers. To join the Society visit www.mammal.org.uk.
  • Visit mammal.org.uk for more information or follow the Mammal Society on Facebook @MammalSociety, Twitter @Mammal_Society, Instagram mammalsociety or LinkedIn
  • The Mammal Society, 18 St John’s Church Road, London E9 6EJ. Registered Company Number 1455136 Charity Number 278918.

About BHPS

BHPS is a UK charity founded in 1982 dedicated to helping & protecting hedgehogs native to the UK.  They run a helpline offering advice on caring for & encouraging hedgehogs in the wild and in gardens. They aim to educate the public on how best to help hedgehogs and fund research into the behavioural habits of hedgehogs to ascertain the best methods of assisting their survival.

Visit www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/ for more information or follow BHPS on Facebook (www.facebook.com/hedgehogsociety) or Twitter (@hedgehogsociety).

 About PTES

PTES, a UK conservation charity created in 1977, is ensuring a future for endangered species throughout the world. We protect some of our most threatened wildlife species and habitats, and provide practical conservation support through research, grant-aid, educational programmes, wildlife surveys, publications and public events.

Visit www.ptes.org and follow PTES on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ptes), Twitter (@PTES) and Instagram (@ptes_org).

Broadcaster Zeb Soanes is Mammal Charity’s first patron

The Mammal Society, the only charity dedicated to the conservation of all Britain’s mammal species, announced today that its first official patron is the broadcaster and children’s author,  Zeb Soanes.

Zeb and Gaspard

Zeb, known to millions as newsreader of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and presenter of the Shipping Forecast, said “I’m honoured to be the Society’s very first patron. The Mammal Society promotes mammal conservation through education, training and research and this is something that I wholeheartedly support. Last year the Society highlighted that five species in Britain face a high risk of extinction and we don’t even know the status of many other species. I will help the Society raise awareness of the need for conservation and for the ongoing monitoring and research that the Mammal Society undertakes. I have learned a great deal about urban foxes for my Gaspard the Fox books and am really looking forward to discovering more about all of Britain’s mammals.”

Zeb first came to the Mammal Society’s attention when they stumbled upon the video that documented his first encounter with Gaspard the fox.

Chair of the Mammal Society, Professor Fiona Mathews, said “Zeb had such an obvious affinity with the real-life Gaspard that we had a hunch that this would be just up his street. He is clearly very passionate about wildlife and we can’t wait to get him involved in some of our activities and projects. He is very keen to find out more about the current situation for Britain’s mammals and he will be a fantastic ambassador for evidence-based conservation. This is a first for us and we are delighted that he is joining us.”

Zeb will be making his first appearance as Patron at the Mammal Society’s 2019 Autumn Symposium “Sustainable Cities for Wildlife” which will take place on Wednesday 9 October in London.

-Ends-

Note to Editors

Zeb Soanes

  • Zeb is an established Radio 4 Newsreader, waking up the nation with The Today Programme and putting it to bed with The Shipping Forecast. He is a regular on Radio 4’s The News Quiz, reports for From Our Own Correspondent and has presented Radio 3’s Saturday Classics. On television, his voice launched BBC FOUR where he appeared as a regular presenter for the BBC Proms; he has also presented TV films for The Culture Show, Newsnight and Songs of Praise. The children’s author Francesca Simon featured Zeb as the newsreader in her book The Lost Gods, and he has made numerous vocal cameos in TV comedies and dramas including Sherlock and The League of Gentlemen and represented the University of East Anglia in the 2018 celebrity Christmas special of University Challenge. Sunday Times readers voted him their favourite male voice on UK radio.

  • Zeb’s acclaimed first book for children, Gaspard the Fox was published in May 2018. Illustrated by James Mayhew; the book was the first in a series of stories based on the urban fox that visits Zeb at home in Islington and gained a worldwide following on social media through photos of its nightly appearances. The second book in the series Gaspard: Best in Show will be published in August 2019.

“The children’s book to watch out for” – Sunday Times

“A wonderful tale about celebrating difference and triumphing against the odds” – Clare Balding

“A modern-day classic.” – South Wales Evening Post

“I loved reading about the adventures of Gaspard the Fox” – Francesca Simon

  • For more information visit zebsoanes.com and www.gaspardthefox.com.

The Mammal Society

  • The Mammal Society is a charitable organisation working at the interface of science, policy-making and practice. As the only society with an interest in all British mammals, its mission is to identify effective conservation strategies and to provide the scientific evidence-base for policy and practice.
  • The Mammal Society recently completed the first review of the Population and Conservation Status of British Mammals for more than 20 years. The Review was published by Natural England in June 2018, together with the Red List of Threatened Mammals for Great Britain. A technical summary of the Review and Red List are available on the Mammal Society website www.mammal.org.uk. Britain’s Mammals 2018, a fully-illustrated guide to the status of Britain’s mammals along with the complete 700-page Review are available from NHBS.
  • The Mammal Society’s Review of the Status of Mammals in Wales will be published in September 2019.
  • The Mammal Society’s Autumn Symposium “Sustainable Cities for Wildlife” will take place on Wednesday 9 October in London. For more information on Mammal Society Events and Courses go to https://www.mammal.org.uk/events/.
  • The Mammal Society’s conservation work is supported through the generosity of our members. Currently our work includes investigating the causes of hedgehog declines and monitoring the status of all British Mammals with the help of citizen science volunteers. To join the Society visit mammal.org.uk.
  • The Mammal Society, 18 St John’s Church Road, London E9 6EJ. Registered Company Number 1455136 Charity Number 278918.

 

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