Have you ever seen a Pygmy Shrew, Britain’s smallest mammal? National Mammal Week runs from the 22nd – 30th October and Tees Valley Wildlife Trusts along with the Northumbria Mammal Group has organised events across the North East so that people (and especially families at half term) can see or find out more about the mammals where they live. From capturing shrews and voles to making your own hedgehog house, learning how to tell bat species apart or making your garden better for wildlife, there is something for everyone.
You can join Tees Valley Wildlife Trust’s training days on how to survey for Harvest mice and Hedgehogs or make your own bat box- more information can be found athttp://www.teeswildlife.org/events/.
The Northumbria Mammal Group is also encouraging people to send in their sightings of mammals so that they can learn more about where mammals are found in the North East. James Littlewood, the Group’s, Chairman said “despite being some of our most charismatic and well known animals, we know very little about some of them and some are hardly ever seen or quite rare. Most people aren’t aware that Grey Seals found in our region’s coasts and rivers are rarer than elephants. We are offering free membership to our Mammal Group in exchange for a mammal sighting.”
Details of local Mammal Week activities and how to send your mammal sightings can be found at www.ericnortheast.org or 0191 208 5158.