The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is asking town dwellers to keep an eye out for hedgehogs, foxes, bats and voles and other wild mammals for its Living with Mammals survey. It hopes that its citizen science project, which runs until the end of June, will help to build a picture of how wild animals live in urban areas, as well as how they might best be helped.
Last year's survey confirmed the continuing decline of hedgehogs, with the second lowest figure since the PTES began compiling these records 12 years ago. The barriers created by fragmented fences in urban gardens suppress hedgehog numbers, because they hamper their search for food and mates.
People are requested to be observant in gardens, allotments, parks or railway embankments and verges and report their results on the PTES website at www.ptes.org Meanwhile, the Canal & River Trust wants people living near towpaths to record sightings of damselflies and dragonflies- it's feared that the fast currents and changing river levels caused by the wet winter could adversely impact population levels.
To submit data, visit the charity's website or download its app by searching for ‘Canal & River Trust' in the iTunes store or Google Play store.
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