GET INVOLVED
There are lots of ways to help mammals in Somerset - whether it is making your garden more mammal friendly or simply being a champion for our furry friends, we can all do our bit to help.
VOLUNTEER WITH US
Help out with events, surveys and more
There are lots of ways to help support the group as a volunteer. From surveys to help running stalls, we need people with a passion for mammas to support the work we do.
For more information on current volunteering opportunities, please contact somersetmammal@yahoo.co.uk
DORMOUSE MONITORING
Take part in a Dormouse Survey
Help to monitor populations of this endangered mammal.
SUBMIT YOUR MAMMAL SIGHTINGS
Every record helps to build a picture of how Somerset’s mammals are doing across the county.
FOR THE BEGINNER
Single mammal records can be submitted online directly to the local record centre via the recording form at the bottom of the page through the following link; http://www.somerc.com/submit-data/recording/. This is ideal for submitting a handful of records every now and then.
Mammal mapper makes a great recording app for newcomers looking to start spotting mammals or those unfamiliar with a particular taxon group. The app includes lots of great image based ID guides to aid species identification in the field by comparing against other similar species
FOR THE INTERMEDIATE
The iNaturalist app is another great way to record mammals across Somerset and beyond. Generally it allows for a bit more flexibility over your records with the ability to make changes to your observations later via the iNaturalist website.
FOR THE EXPERTS
Mergin Maps presents another option for those further on into their mammaling journey. This app allows the user to create a customised survey based around GIS layers. A recording form can be built using QGIS that is specific to your data needs and downloaded to an android smartphone for field data collection using the Input app. Data can then be synced with your computer system using the accompanying plug-in, however if you want to add photos to data this might require a higher data limit available through a paid subscription. We think that the input app is particularly useful for point survey projects with fieldwork involving repeat visits to the same locations such as water vole raft surveys or Longworth trapping. We would always recommend completing a second hard copy as a back up.
MAKING SPACE FOR MAMMALS
By making small changes at home and in the garden, we can all help to provide food and habitat for mammals and other wildlife.
Embrace the mess! Long grass, nettle patches and weedy borders provide cover for mammals as well as a good source of food.
Create a log pile. These are havens for invertebrates which provides food for insectivores like shrews.
Make sure wildlife can come and go through your garden. If your garden is fenced cut a hole through it for smaller mammals like hedgehogs.
Create a wildlife pond. These can be life savers for mammals, especially during hot weather. Remember to add steps so that wildlife can safely escape in case they fall in.
Make or buy a hedgehog home
Remember to leave a shallow dish of clean, fresh water out during hot weather.
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