Wednesday 8 April 2020

Garden Mammals on My Patch


RECORD's theme for this weeks My Patch campaign is garden mammals.


Hedgehog


MY PATCH Week 3 - Mammal Theme
These are often the most elusive garden visitors and we usually only know they're around because we notice signs, like poo or footprints. There are 108 UK species of mammal, from field voles (most numerous with ~60 million) to the Greater Mouse Eared Bat (only 1 individual!).
1 in 5 mammal species face a high risk of extinction in the UK and some have declined by up to 66% in the last 20 years! Recording garden mammals can help scientists understand what's happening to their populations which informs decisions on how to protect them.
Owl Pellets: has anyone ever tried dissecting owl pellets? You can find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about owl pellets here.
Mammal poo - not everyone's favourite topic, but its often the main evidence that mammals have been visiting a garden. If you know any young mammal detectives with a particular interest, we have a downloadable activity here perfect for them. They might also enjoy learning the basics of mammal detecting here.

QUIZ of the WEEK: Mammals
Sadly no prizes but email info@record-lrc.co.uk with your answers!
1) How many mammal species do we hold Cheshire records for from the last 10 years?
2) What is our most commonly recorded mammal in the last 10 years?
3) What was our most commonly recorded bat species in the last 10 years?
4) Can you name these mammal footprints?

Mammal footprints

5) Can you name these mammal faeces?
Mammal faeces


A reminder of how to join in My Patch

Upload your garden wildlife sightings here OR email info@record-lrc.co.uk if you'd prefer

You can find resources and useful links on this page of our website.
Where you can, we'd love you to share our posts, news etc. about the campaign with your contacts and encourage as many people as possible to get involved. You can also post your own sightings with the hashtag #MyPatch to help spread the word and share with others what you've been up to.

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