Mammals

Britain does not have many large mammals and quite a number of our smaller species are in fact introductions. Recently the beaver has been in the news as an exciting reintroduction, fashioning wetland landscapes. None are dangerous and many are nocturnal and are exhilarating to find and watch. It is perhaps surprising to discover that rabbits were once only to be found in farmed warrens and were cosseted as it was felt that they would not survive in the wild. Of course, as everyone knows, they breed prolifically and only the introduction of a fatal disease (myxomatosis) has had significant affects of the total population, although rabbit numbers are again quite high.

Latin name	Common name	Distribution	Habitat
Erinaceus europaeus	Hedgehog	Widespread and abundant	Farmland and urban
Talpa europaeus	Mole	Widespread and abundant	All types of habitats except high moors and mountains
Neomys fodiens	Water shrew	Locally common	Sometimes associated with water in farmland, woodland and hedgerows
Sorex araneus	Common shrew	Widespread and common	Farmland, woodland and hedgerows
Sorex minutus	Pygmy shrew	Widespread and common	Farmland, moors and forests
Sorex coronatus	French shrew	Found on Jersey only
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum	Greater Horseshoe Bat	SW England and S Wales. Very rare and endangered
Rhinolophus hipposideros	Lesser Horseshoe Bat	W’spread in SW England and S Wales. Rare and endangered
Barbastella barbastellus	Western barbastelle	Widespread in England and Wales, but rare
Eptesicus serotinus	Serotine	Widespread in S Britain
Myotis bechsteini	Bechstein’s bat	Central S England. Very rare
Myotis brandti	Brandt’s bat	Common in W and N England, rare or absent elsewhere
Myotis daubentoni	Daubenton’s bat	Common throughout much of Britain	Commonly hunts over water
Myotis myotis	Mouse-eared bat	Formerly S English coast. Now extinct
Myotis mystacinus	Whiskered bat	Local. Probably throughout England and Wales
Myotis nattereri	Natterer’s bat	Fairly common throughout much of Britain
Nyctalus leisleri	Leisler’s bat (Lesser noctule)	Widespread but scarce in central Britain
Nyctalus noctula	Noctule bat	Widespread in England and Wales. Generally uncommon
Pipistrellus nathusii	Nathusius’s pipistrelle	Migrant winter visitor
Pipistrellus pipistrellus	Common pipistrelle	Common throughout most of the British Isles
Plecotus auritus	Brown long-eared bat	Widespread and common
Plecotus austriacus	Grey long-eared bat	Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset. Very rare
Sciurus vulgaris	Red Squirrel	Locally common in Scotland. Generally extinct elsewhere	Extensive woodlands
Sciurus carolinensis	Grey squirrel	Widespread and common in England and Wales, and across central Scotland.	Woodlands, urban, and parklands
Arvicola terrestris	European water vole	Mainland Britain. Locally common, but declining
Clethrionomys glareolus	Bank vole	Very common throughout most of Britain	Rivers and lakes
Microtus agrestis	Field vole	Widespread in mainland Britain. Locally common
Microtus arvalis	Common vole	Orkney and Guernsey only. Common
Apodemus flavicollis	Yellow-necked mouse	Mainly E and S England, and Wales. Locally common
Apodemus sylvaticus	Wood mouse	Widespread and very common
Micromys minutus	Harvest mouse	England and parts of Wales. Declining rapidly
Muscardinus avellanarius	Hazel Dormouse	Widespread but local and declining
Lepus europaeus	Brown Hare	Widespread and common, but declining
Lepus timidus	Mountain (Arctic) Hare	Scotland, especially the Highlands. Locally common
Felis sylvestris	Wildcat	Uncommon, but increasing
Vulpes vulpes	Red Fox	Very widespread. Common and increasing
Lutra lutra	Otter	W and SW England, and Scotland. Local but increasing	Rivers and estuaries
Martes martes	Pine Marten	Locally common in parts of Scotland. Very rare elsewhere
Meles meles	Badger	Widespread and generally common, especially in the south
Mustela erminea	Stoat	Common throughout Britain, but possibly declining
Mustela nivalis	Weasel	Widespread and common throughout Britain
Mustela putorius	Polecat	Wales and central Britain. Locally common
Capreolus capreolus	Roe Deer	Scotland and England, especially the north and south
Cervus elaphus	Red Deer	Scotland and England, especially East Anglia and the SW
Halichoerus grypus	Grey Seal	Coasts of Scotland and SW England. Locally common
Phoca vitulina	Common Seal	Coasts of Scotland and E England. Locally common