Mammal Society website

New web address for the Mammal Society

Links not working

Please note that due to the Mammal Society changing its website address (it is no longer hosted by Aberdeen University), most of the links to further information do not work at present. I will sort that out when I update the maps later this winter.

Click on the March 2009 label to the right to access the distribution maps.

Mammal, Reptile and Amphibian Maps

I have loaded a set of maps (in reverse alphabetical order, due to the vagaries of blog-posting) of the mammals, reptiles and amphibians found in Pembrokeshire. These maps are from the records on the database so far. I keep finding records to be added, and so the maps will be updated periodically to try to keep them reasonably up to date.

Please feel free to add comments under each species - particularly about behaviour that you have observed. You can also add records in the comments box, but please remember to include your name, date of observation, what you saw (eg how many, was it dead or alive) and what species it was.

However, a better way to send records is to just email them to me at rushmoor1 at tiscali.co.uk, or request a spreadsheet form that you can send back to me at the end of the month, or end of the year.

Woodmouse

Dark blue dots show records since 2000
Mid blue dots show records from 1990 - 2000
Light blue dots show records from before 1990
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As with most small mammals, most of these records are either dead animals brought in by a cat, or skulls found in owl pellets. Woodmice are found on Skomer, but not Skokholm where there are only house mice.
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More information at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/woodmouse.shtml

Weasel

Dark blue dots show records since 2000
Mid blue dots show records from 1990 - 2000
Light blue dots show records from before 1990
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Widespread.
We were emptying the moth trap one morning when there was a commotion from the blue tits in a nearby nest box. A weasel was nearby, and looking to get in. We tried chasing it off, but it didn't go far, and came straight back to the nest box when we went back to the moth trap. It stayed inside the box for a while, presumably making a meal of the single egg in there. Eventually it came out, but the blue tits continued to fuss around the box without going in for about ten minutes. Then they, too, left.
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More information at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/weasel.shtml

Water Vole

Dark blue dots show records since 2000
Mid blue dots show records from 1990 - 2000
Light blue dots show records from 1970 - 1990
Whitedots show records from before 1970
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A species that has declined drastically across most of Britain, the water vole has also become very scarce in Pembrokeshire. A recent sighting in the St Davids area needs to be confirmed, but it seems to be extinct at all other known sites except one - and there have been no sightings there recently.

Water Voles are about the size of a rat, but with a shorter furry tail, small ears and a blunt nose. You can find more information at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/water_vole.shtml

Water Shrew

Dark blue dots show records since 2000
Mid blue dots show records from 1990 - 2000
Light blue dots show records from before 1990 -
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Shrews are rarely seen, and more rarely identified, unless dead. Of the three species in Pembrokeshire, the water shrew is the most-easily identified with its black back and white belly.

Although found most often near water, including small ditches, it can be found almost anywhere. One day a few years ago I was walking along a road and heard a squeaking from the freshly cut grass on a hedgebank. Several juvenile water shrews had been parked in the grass (before it was cut) by their mother, and they would not move until she returned. I did try moving one or two to a more concealed place a few feet away, but they moved back to where they had been originally. More information at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/water_shrew.shtml