NEWS!!!!

Tell us what you want from your local Mammal Group - fill in our questionnaire here! then either post or email back to us.

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Draft Atlas Species entries now online here .... your comments please!

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Mammal of the Month!

Stoat, photo by David Chapman

Stoat

Mustela erminea

The stoat can be distinquished from the weasel, as the stoat is larger and has a black tip to its tail.

These excellent hunters often forage along hedgrows and ditches, systematically searching for prey in zig-zag patterns.

If you do see a stoats, or any mammal, please do let us and the local record centre know.

We need to know WHAT you saw, WHERE and WHEN you saw it and WHO you are. Records can be sent direct to ERCCIS here.

National Small Mammal Monitoring Scheme

In October 2009 The Mammal Society launched the National Small Mammal Monitoring Scheme (NSMMS). Its aim is to collect long-term records of small mammal distributions across the UK, and this year, has made the harvest mouse its flagship species.

As Cornwall Mammal Group aims to publish an atlas of Cornwall’s mammals by 2012, the NSMMS provides a fantastic opportunity to get really good records of the county’s smaller mammals. However, collecting these records for Cornwall requires YOUR help! Would you like to get up close and personal with some of our smaller mammals? Are you willing to spare a small amount of time getting involved with some real mammal ecology? Then join us collecting data for this fantastic survey!

What do you need to do?
Volunteers will be allocated a 2kmx2km square close to their home, and will be asked to survey this square twice yearly; once in April-May and once in Oct-Nov. Five main survey techniques can be used, depending on experience and enthusiasm:

  1. Harvest Mouse Nest Searches
  2. Field vole sign searches
  3. Bait tubes
  4. Owl pellet analysis
  5. Longworth trapping

Training will be provided if needed, so there really is no excuse! If you would like to get involved in this survey, please contact us:

enquiries@cornwallmammalgroup.co.uk or call 01872 273939 ext 223.

Download a flyer with some more information here.