Small Mammal Survey

Small mammals are not only excellent indicators of habitat quality and connectivity, but they are also essential building blocks of the food web, contributing to a varied and resilient ecosystem. (They're also extremely cute and you don't often get the chance to see them up close!)

Join us on Saturday 1st August at 9:00am to see what we discover in York's Museum Gardens! (Meeting place: Marygate entrance https://w3w.co/forms.sooner.kept)

How we survey for small mammals

We conduct a variety of species and habitat surveys across the Green Corridors project to gain a better understanding of the wildlife around us, and as part of this we want to know which small mammals are present.

We will use Longworth traps, which allow the humane live capture of small mammals. All animals we find (if we find any) will be released safely after the survey.

Longworth traps have a nest box area that is filled with hay and food suitable for a variety of species. When a small mammal enters the tunnel, it triggers the door to close and the animal will be kept in there until we open the trap in the following morning. We ensure there is enough food and bedding so that the animal is warm and fed through the night.

The session will be led by highly experienced members of the Yorkshire Mammal Group who have the necessary licences to handle the small mammals we find during the survey, while all attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the survey method and how to ID small mammals.

Please dress according to the weather as it is an outdoor activity. We will work on uneven ground, hence please wear suitable footwear.

The session will most likely last at least 1 hour and numbers are strictly limited (20 people max).