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Mammal Monitoring Comes to Denbighshire: The Launch of MaMoNet
Date: 22.05.2013
Type: Biodiversity Volunteering
No, not a new species unknown to science, a new, one-year project in Wales with a focus on gathering population data on hedgehog and harvest mouse!
MaMoNet Project Officer, Becky Clews-Roberts, tells us more about this exciting new project:
“The Mammal Monitoring Network (MaMoNet) Wales project aims to encourage citizen science to help gather more data on these two species. The data available suggest that both are in decline, in fact the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) reported a 50% decline of hedgehog over the last 25 years. With robust data however, a conservation strategy can be designed. This is where the fun starts!”
Footprints in the Ink: Hedgehogs
“In order to gain data on the hedgehog population in Wales, we are asking people to place one of the Mammal Society’s footprint tunnels along a linear route such as a hedge or wall during the summer months when hedgehogs are active. This can be in their garden or elsewhere as long as landowner permission is granted. The tunnels need to be baited and as the hedgehog, or indeed other mammal, walks through the tunnel to get to the bait, they walk over some ink and their prints are then captured on a piece of paper as they walk out of the tunnel. A footprint ID chart is included with the tunnel kit to help participants correctly identify which mammals have been roaming in their garden at night. So simple that anyone, even people new to the world of mammals, can give it a go!
“Tunnels can be purchased from The Mammal Society website via the Survey Mammals link alternatively, people can have a go at making their own following the Assembly Instructions on the website.
“The tunnels can be used over and over again with just fresh bait and fresh paper being needed each time. From trials carried out for the tunnels, hedgehogs responded best to hotdogs!
“We are then asking participants to upload their findings onto the Mammal Society Atlas via the Submit Records link.”
The National Mammal Atlas Project (NMAP) has now been running for over a year. The project aims to determine mammal distribution and abundance across the British Isles. This in turn will facilitate appropriate mammal conservation. So far, over 7,500 mammal records have now been submitted using the easy to use online form, but more records for Wales are needed.
If however, participants do not have internet access or simply prefer a postal form, this is also possible. We just ask that the forms are posted to us at the Mammal Society and we shall upload the data. Anyone who wishes to have a postal form can contact Becky – see below for contact details.
If you are planning on placing a tunnel do let Becky know. She is keen to keep up to date on where tunnels are being placed and how much effort people are going to. Drop her an email to let her know your plans!
The Hunt is on...
...for harvest mouse nests that is.
The MaMoNet project is also looking to increase knowledge of where harvest mice populations can be found in Wales.
According to Becky, “Working with the Mammals in a Sustainable Environment (MISE)1 project, we aim to cover as many 1km2 tetrads in Wales in our search for nests once the breeding season is over.
“A similar survey took place in the 1970s and again in the 1990s so by ensuring those 1km2 tetrads are monitored again, we will be able to compare data. We also hope that volunteers will be willing to take on new tetrads that have not been surveyed before.
“We will be organising some training sessions later in the summer and then volunteers can survey their assigned tetrad(s).
“If you wish to be included in a distribution list to receive further information on the harvest mouse surveys as it becomes available, please do get in touch and let me know.”
Happy surveying!
This is the first time that The Mammal Society have employed an officer in Wales and they are very grateful to Natural Resources Wales (formerly The Countryside Council for Wales) for helping to fund the project.
For more information contact Becky Clews-Roberts, Project Officer, MaMoNet Wales.
r.clews-roberts@themammalsociety.org / 07743 085 374. Or email Denbighshire’s Biodiversity Team biodiversity@denbighshire.gov.uk.
The project aims to monitor mammal species of conservation interest, with the help of novel genetic techniques, working with volunteers to raise awareness, and engage the public in mammal survey and conservation work. MISE is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A).
