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Mammals


Britain does not have many large mammals and quite a number of our smaller species are in fact introductions.  Furthermore none are dangerous and many are nocturnal - however they can still be 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.  Rabbit numbers are now again 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  

 

 
 
 

All images and text are copyright PMcS 2006