Land Mammals

Badger

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:05:19 +0000

The Badger is a very shy mammal that can be found throughout the country on farmland, in meadows, on the edges of woodlands and on grassland that is regularly cut. It is very rarely seen because it is nocturnal which means it sleeps during the day and does most of its activity at night.

The Badger can easily be recognised because it has a black and white striped head and small black and white ears. The Badger’s body can look grey from a distance, although its body is actually covered in black and white hairs. It has four stocky-looking legs and it uses its powerful front legs when it wants to tunnel. Badgers live beneath the ground in homes called ‘setts’. Setts have a lot of tunnels which link with other tunnels and chambers. The chambers are used for raising their young and for sleeping in.

Badgers live in family groups called ‘clans’ which can consist of up to fourteen adults. The clans usually have territories of their own which the Badgers patrol and scent mark every night. Badgers also scent mark each other in order to create a collective clan smell. This unique clan smell helps Badgers to recognise each other because they have very poor vision.

Beaver (European)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:32:25 +0000

The European Beaver is a mammal that was hunted to extinction in England, mainly for its fur, and had not been part of the English countryside for over 500 years. However, in 2005 six European Beavers were reintroduced from Bavaria to a large confined area of over 500 acres at Lower Mill Estate near South Cerny in England.

The European Beaver is a semi-aquatic animal because it spends time in water and time on land. It is also referred to as a rodent because it has chisel-like front teeth that grow continually and self-sharpen. It is quite stout and heavy-looking with a coat of coarse dark brown fur on top and yellowy brown fur underneath. It has a long flat tail that is almost paddle-shaped and four short legs. Its back feet are larger than its front feet. It uses its smaller front feet like hands to hold onto food.

European Beavers live in groups of five to eight in ‘lodges’ that are often built in river banks. A lodge is a large tube-like tunnel under the ground which has an entrance under water. European Beavers build dams to keep the water level high so that the entrances to the lodges are always below water. With their strong front teeth, European Beavers can gnaw down large trees to use for their dams.

Deer (Red)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:34:13 +0000

The Red Deer, like the Roe Deer, is native to England and can be found in the Lake District, Exmoor, Norfolk and the New Forest. It is a large mammal that has a reddish brown fur in summer and a grey or dark brown fur in winter. The female Red Deer is called a ‘Hind’ and the male is called a ‘Stag’. The Stag has long antlers and long shaggy hair on the front of its neck which looks like a mane.

The Stag’s antlers fall off in April or May and new antlers start to grow again after about a week. The antlers are covered in a velvet-like fur which starts to drop off after about three months, but sometimes it just hangs down in strips. The Stag rubs its antlers against trees to try and get rid of any unwanted fur.

Red Deer prefer to live in woodlands and forests that have open glades where there is a good supply of food. They like to eat grass, dandelions, moss and leaves. They regurgitate their food which means they partly chew it, swallow it and then bring it up to chew again before swallowing. This semi-digested food is known as ‘cud’. Red Deer like to find safe and secure places to chew their cud in peace and quiet.

Deer (Roe)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:38:05 +0000

The Roe Deer, like the Red Deer, is native to England and can be found in most parts of England apart from the Midlands and the south-east. It is a stocky-looking mammal that has a reddish brown fur in summer and a grey or dark brown fur in winter. It has a dark stripe over its nose which looks like a moustache. The female Roe Deer is called a ‘Doe’ and the male is called a ‘Buck’. The Buck is easily recognisable because it has a set of relatively short antlers.

The Buck’s antlers fall off between October and December and new antlers start to grow immediately. The antlers are covered in a velvet-like fur which starts to drop off after about three months, but sometimes it just hangs down in strips. The Buck rubs its antlers against trees to try and get rid of any unwanted fur.

Roe Deer prefer to live in forests and woods, but sometimes they can be seen on open ground looking for food. They eat grass, heather, pine nuts and acorns. They regurgitate their food which means they partly chew it, swallow it and then bring it back up into their mouth. This semi-digested food is known as ‘cud’ which is chewed again and swallowed. Roe Deer like to find safe and secure places to chew their cud in peace and quiet.

Dormouse (Hazel)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:41:55 +0000

The Hazel Dormouse is also known as the Dormouse or the Common Dormouse and can mainly be found in the south of England in woodlands. It is a secretive mammal that sleeps a lot and it is the only mouse in England with a long furry tail.

The Hazel Dormouse has golden brown fur and relatively large rounded ears. It also has big black beady eyes. Its feet and toes are a pinky colour and it has four long toes on each foot. The Hazel Dormouse spends most of its day sleeping in a nest constructed out of shredded honeysuckle bark, grass and moss. During the night it climbs from branch to branch in mature deciduous trees, like oak trees, looking for food. It eats hazelnuts, acorns and chestnuts and in autumn it tries to eat more food to build up a fat reserve ready for its long winter sleep.

Between October and April Dormice go into a long deep sleep called hibernation. The Hazel Dormouse also goes into a lighter sleep to save energy if the weather is too cold in spring, summer or autumn. This sleep is called ‘torpor’ It is believed that a Hazel Dormouse spends at least three quarters of its life sleeping.

Fox (Red)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:43:17 +0000

The Red Fox is a shy mammal that looks almost dog-like and it can be seen throughout the country on farmlands, moors, in woodlands and in towns and cities. It is a member of the dog family and lives in a family group which consists of a Dog Fox, a dominant Vixen and often two more Vixens which help to raise the young.

The Red Fox has a long slender body covered in reddish brown fur and a long, bushy reddish-brown tail with a white tip. It also has a white coloured throat and chest. Its ears are long and pointed and its eyes are a yellow-orange colour. It has a black nose and long black whiskers.

Red Foxes that live in the country have several underground homes called ‘dens’. Some dens are quite small and are used for resting and taking shelter in, while some are used to bring up their young. Red Foxes living in urban areas often have dens under the roots of trees and under garden sheds. Rural Red Foxes eat voles, rats, squirrels, rabbits and fruit, while Urban Red Foxes eat pigeons and small birds. Urban Red Foxes will also rummage though dustbins to find food and they will even raid bird tables for bread crusts.

Hedgehog

Debbie — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:21:13 +0000

The Hedgehog is one of our most popular mammals that can be found throughout England in gardens, parks, woodlands and fields. It can easily be recognised because it has thousands of spines on the top of its body. The spines help to protect the Hedgehog, especially when it rolls itself up into a ball.

The Hedgehog has a long, brown, pointed face and a black nose. It also has small brown ears and two small black eyes. It spends most of the day sleeping under hedgerows in nests made out of grass and leaves. Sometimes on very hot and sunny days it just sleeps under a pile of leaves. At night it likes to go looking for food. It loves eating beetles, but it will also eat slugs, earwigs and birds’ eggs. In winter Hedgehogs hibernate in nests made of grass, leaves and moss.

A Hedgehog can carry a lot of fleas, but these fleas don’t live on cats and dogs and neither do they live on humans. To help hold off fleas, the hedgehog spits saliva on its body and then turns it into a foam. The foam is spread all over its body. The hedgehog really seems to enjoy doing this. Perhaps the foam also acts as a sort of soothing body lotion.

Mole

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:45:36 +0000

The Mole is a small mammal that is also known as the ‘little gentleman in black’. It is very rarely seen, but its molehills are a familiar sight in meadows, grassland, fields and even large gardens throughout the country. It spends most of its time on its own digging tunnels underground and creating mole hills where it pushes freshly dug soil to the surface.

The Mole has a grey-black velvety fur and has very large shovel-like hands with claws which are used for digging up earth. It has a small round body without a neck. It also has a pink snout, very small ears and tiny eyes the size of a pinhead. Its tail is short and furry and always held upright.

Moles build burrows underground which have networks of tunnels. Some tunnels are dug just beneath the surface and these tunnels are used to find food such as earthworms. Moles also eat slugs, snails, frogs and little mice. Other tunnels are deeper in the ground and they are used to rest in when it is very cold outside. Moles build nest chambers in the centre of their burrows which are used to raise their young and to sleep in.

Mouse (Harvest)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:46:16 +0000

The Harvest Mouse is the smallest rodent in England and can mainly be found in the centre and the south of England. It can be found in wheat fields, but it is more likely to be found in hay meadows and reed beds, as well as in bramble patches, grassy hedgerows, roadside verges and in tall grassy vegetation.

The Harvest Mouse has golden brown fur on top and cream-white fur below. It has a body length of around seven centimetres and its long brown tail is about six centimetres in length. It can weigh as little as eight to ten grammes which is the weight of two penny coins. Its face is relatively blunt with two large black eyes and its ears are round-shaped and quite large.

Harvest Mice are active day and night, but in summer they tend to be more active at night and in winter more active in the day. They can skilfully move from stems to flower heads and to brambles looking for food such as grass seeds, cereals, insects, spiders, berries and fruit. They use grass and reeds to build their nests which are round and about the size of a tennis ball. The nests are often built about one metre above the ground and their young are brought up in them.

Mouse (Wood)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:46:52 +0000

The Wood Mouse is a small mammal that can be found throughout England mainly in woodlands, but it can also be found in scrubland, hedgerows and gardens. In winter it visits garden sheds, greenhouses and lofts to escape the cold weather outside.

The Wood Mouse has a body length of around ten centimetres and has a yellow-brown coat of fur on top and cream-white fur below. It has a long, smooth reddish-brown tail which is also about ten centimetres long. It has a dark band running down the middle of its back and face. Its face is long and pointed with a pink snout and long whiskers. It has large round ears and big black eyes.

Wood Mice build underground burrows which consist of chambers with nests. The nests are used to raise their young, store food and to sleep in. Wood Mice mainly go foraging for food on the ground at night, but they are excellent climbers and will also forage for food high up in trees. Wood Mice are generally solitary creatures, but sometimes they can be found nesting together in underground burrows or in indoor spaces.

Mouse (Yellow-necked)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:01:28 +0000

The Yellow-necked Mouse is a small mammal mainly found in deciduous woodlands in the south of England and in the Cotswolds. Sometimes it can be found in orchards, hedgerows and even in houses in winter. It has a yellow band running across its throat and this is why it is called the ‘Yellow-necked Mouse’.

The Yellow-necked Mouse has a body length of around eleven centimetres and its tail is just as long. It has a reddish brown coat of fur on top and white fur below. Its tail is smooth-looking and also a reddish brown colour. The Yellow-necked Mouse has a long face with a pink snout and long whiskers. Its ears are long and its eyes are big and black. Its hind legs are bigger than its front legs and they are all a pinky colour.

Yellow-necked Mice build underground burrows which consist of chambers with nests. The nests are used to store food, raise their young and to sleep in. Yellow-necked Mice mainly go foraging for food on the ground at night, but they are excellent climbers and will also forage for food high up in trees. Yellow-necked Mice are generally solitary creatures, but they sometimes can be found nesting together in underground burrows or in indoor spaces.

Otter

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:02:47 +0000

The Otter is a shy and secretive marine mammal that can mainly be seen in the south west of England, as well as in some areas of the north east and the south east. It spends a lot of time in rivers and streams looking for food, but is very rarely seen because it mainly hunts for its food at night. However, if an Otter lives in the sea it may be seen more often.

The Otter has quite a long body and a long thickset tail. It has grey-brown fur and a big black nose that is the shape of a hexagon. It has a broad long face with long whiskers on either side and its mouth is set under its face just like the mouth of a shark.

On land Otters can look quite awkward when they walk because their back legs are longer than their front legs. However, in water Otters look elegant and graceful. When Otters want to swim fast, they keep their short front legs by their sides and use their back legs and powerful tails to propel themselves forward. Otters communicate in the water by whistling to each other. They often whistle when they want to find each other in dark waters. Otters eat lots of fish, but their favourite food is eels.

Pine Marten

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:03:30 +0000

The Pine Marten is a secretive and rare mammal that can only be found in the Lake District and in some parts of the east and south east of England in woodlands. It is a member of the Weasel family and is sometimes known as the European Pine Marten. It is very rarely seen in the day because it spends most of its time sleeping in dens under ground or in hollow trees.

The Pine Marten has a long slender body that is a chestnut-brown colour and a long chestnut-brown bushy tail. It also has a creamy yellow patch on its throat which looks a bit like a bib. Its neck is quite long and its face is pointed with long whiskers on either side. It has two large sticky out ears and two black eyes. It is about the size of a domestic cat.

Pine Martens are very fast and agile hunters that spend most of their time hunting for food on the ground at night. However, they can climb trees very easily and quickly because they have claws that can easily grasp onto trunks and branches. Pine Martens do not hibernate in the winter so they have thick fur on the soles of their feet which helps them to keep their feet warm, especially when they have to walk through snow.

Polecat

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:04:12 +0000

The Polecat is a secretive and rare mammal that can only be found in the West Midlands, the Lake District and in a few parts of the north and the south of England. It can be found on farms, but prefers to live in woodlands, forests and wetlands. It is a member of the Weasel family and is also called a ‘foul marten’ because it ejects a strong smelling scent to mark its territory or when it feels threatened.

The Polecat has a long slender body that is a dark brown colour on top with a longish, furry dark brown tail. The sides of the body and belly are a lighter brown or yellowish colour. It has white fur between the eyes and ears and white fur on either side of its pinkish nose. It has a broad head and its ears are short and rounded.

Polecats sleep in abandoned rabbit burrows or under tree roots in the day and do most of their hunting at night. They stalk their prey and then kill it very quickly by biting it through the neck. Polecats do not hibernate, but become less active in the cold winter months. On occasions they may even hunt for food in the day during winter.

Shrew (Common)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:04:44 +0000

The Common Shrew is a small furry mammal that is widespread and very common in most parts of mainland England. It lives in a variety of habitats such as woodlands, grassland, scrubland, road verges, hedgerows and mature gardens.

The Common Shrew has dense grey-brown fur on top with lighter grey-brown fur on the sides and grey fur underneath. It has a body length of about seven centimetres and its brown tail is around five centimetres long. Its face is long and pointed with long sensitive whiskers and a pinkish snout. Its feet are also a pinky colour and the hind feet are larger than the front. The Common Shrew sometimes uses its front feet to pin down prey. Common Shrews are active both day and night and they need to eat every two to three hours to keep alive. They eat worms, woodlice, spiders, beetles, slugs, snails and insect larvae.

Common Shrews build their nests either underground in burrows or under dense vegetation. If the nests get disturbed, the young are moved to another nest. The mother leads the way to the new nest and the young follow behind her while biting hold of the tail of the shrew in front so they don’t get lost.

Shrew (Pygmy)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:05:26 +0000

The Pygmy Shrew is believed to be the smallest mammal in England. It can be found in a variety of places such as woodlands, meadows, heathland, moors, hedgerows and road verges, basically anywhere with enough ground cover.

The Pygmy Shrew has a body length of around five centimetres and has dark brown fur on top and grey-white fur below. Its tail is about four centimetres long and is covered in fine hairs. It weighs approximately four grammes which is almost the same weight as a one pence piece. Its face is long and pointed with a pink snout and long sensitive whiskers. It also has four pinkish coloured legs and feet.

Pygmy Shrews are active day and night and they need to eat almost hourly to be able to survive. They take regular breaks in nests in burrows to conserve energy, although they very rarely look for food in burrows. They often shuffle through leaf litters to find spiders and beetles, but they also forage the ground for woodlice, snails and slugs. They don’t eat earthworms because they are usually too big for this small shrew.

Shrew (Water)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:05:50 +0000

The Water Shrew is a semi-aquatic mammal with red-tipped teeth and can be found throughout England. It is equally at home on dry land as it is in water, but it does prefer to live close to water like its name suggests. It can be seen near rivers, ponds, stream banks, reed banks and sometimes in woodlands, rough grasslands, scrub and hedgerows.

The Water Shrew has dense grey-black fur on top and white fur below, but its fur looks a silvery colour in water. It has a body length of about nine centimetres and its tail is around seven centimetres long. Its tail is a pinkish colour with bristly hairs on the underside. Its face is long and pointed with a pinkish coloured snout. It has legs and feet that are also a pink colour and its hind feet are larger than the front to help the Water Shrew to propel forward when it swims.

Water Shrews are active day and night and when they hunt for food, they use poisonous saliva to stun prey. They eat many things such as the larvae of water insects, molluscs, small fish, worms, snails and beetles. Water Shrews do not hibernate so they have to forage for food both under water and on land to survive the winter.

Squirrel (Red)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:07:12 +0000

The Red Squirrel is native to England and can only be found in isolated places such as Thetford Forest in Norfolk, Furzey Islands in Pool Harbour, Northumberland, Cumbria, Dorset and Lancashire. Red Squirrels have reduced massively since the introduction of Grey Squirrels in 1876. Grey Squirrels are bigger and stronger than Red Squirrels and often win in battles to get food and space.

The Red Squirrel can easily be recognised by its chestnut coloured fur and long bushy tail. Its tail turns a white-cream colour in late summer. The throat, chest and belly of the Red Squirrel are always a white-cream colour. The Red Squirrel has small ears with long tufts of hair and it has small black eyes with white fur around them.

Red Squirrels can be found in and near trees. They are skilful climbers and can even hang upside down from trees. They like to sleep high up in trees in nests called ‘dreys’. Dreys are made out of twigs and sticks and are lined with leaves, moss, grass and bark. Sometimes Red Squirrels make their homes in tree hollows which have been made by woodpeckers. These homes are called ‘dens’.

Stoat

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:08:19 +0000

The Stoat is a curious and active mammal found throughout the country on farmlands, woodlands, marshes and moors. It is a member of the Weasel family and is sometimes known as the ‘Short-tailed Weasel’.

The Stoat has a slender reddish-brown body and its throat, chest and belly are a cream-white colour. It has a long reddish-brown tail that is bushy and always has a black tip. Sometimes a Stoat can turn white in winter, but its tail still keeps the black tip. The Stoat has a long neck and a pointed face with long whiskers on either side. It also has large round ears and large, black protruding eyes.

Stoats often stand on their hind legs so they can scan and smell their surroundings better and sometimes they climb up trees to steal eggs. They hunt day and night and often run in a zigzag pattern when they go looking for food. They mainly eat rabbits, but they also eat voles, rats, birds and fruit. Stoats rest and sleep in the burrows of animals they have previously hunted and killed.

Vole (Bank)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:08:54 +0000

The Bank Vole is an almost mouse-like mammal that is also known as the Common Vole. It can be found throughout England in woodlands, grassland, hedgerows and in scrub habitats where trees and vegetation are stunted. It is active day and night and spends a lot of time foraging for food on the ground, even though it is a skilful climber and will climb brambles to get to blackberries.

The Bank Vole has reddish-brown fur on top and cream-white fur below. It has quite a long tail which is about seven centimetres long and is bushy at the end. The body length of this vole is around eleven centimetres. It has quite a blunt face with long whiskers and two small black eyes. Its ears are rounded and quite prominent.

Bank Voles build nests in a variety of places such as in burrows, among tree roots, under logs and in holes in trees. The nests are constructed out of different types of grass and are usually ball-shaped. However, Bank Voles generally bring up their young in nests that have been constructed in burrows underground.

Vole (Field)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:09:25 +0000

The Field Vole is a plump mouse-like mammal and because of its appearance it is also referred to as the Meadow Mouse. It is also known as the Meadow Vole and the Short-tailed Vole and is believed to be the most common mammal in England. It can be found in fields, meadows, pastures, grassy moors, hedgerows and on the edges of woodlands.

The Field Vole is around ten centimetres long and has a short tail which is about four centimetres long. It is a grey-brown colour with slightly paler sides and under parts. It has quite a blunt-shaped nose with lots of long sensitive whiskers and it has two small black eyes. Its ears are rounded and almost hidden in the fur.

Field Voles are active day and night, although they tend to be more active at dusk. They dig burrows just below the surface of the soil to find food, but they build their nests outside on the ground. The nests are woven out of different types of grass and are usually hidden in thick grassy tussocks. Field Voles eat the stems and leaves of different types of grass, as well as roots, tree bark, bulbs and sometimes insects and snails.

Vole (Water)

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:10:59 +0000

The Water Vole is a small, semi-aquatic mammal with large orange teeth and is also known as the European Water Vole. It is also called the ‘water rat’ because people think it looks similar to a rat, although a rat has a smooth-looking tail and the Water Vole has hairs on its tail. The Water Vole is a leading character in a children’s book called the ‘Wind in the Willows’ and interestingly enough the name of the character is ‘Ratty’.

The Water Vole has a coat of silky chestnut-brown fur and its body can be as long as twelve to twenty centimetre. Its tail can be six to twelve centimetres long. Its face is short and fat-looking with quite a blunt nose. It has small, sticky-out eyes and its short ears have flaps inside to keep water out when the Water Vole is swimming.

Water Voles can be found throughout the country along rivers, streams, canals and lakes where they like to build burrows in sloping waterside banks. The burrows usually have a number of entrances so that Water Voles can escape from danger more easily. When a Water Vole jumps into the water, you can hear a very clear ‘plop’ sound.

Weasel

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:12:30 +0000

The Weasel is a shy and active mammal that is also known as the Least Weasel. It can be found throughout England in fields, meadows, farmland, moors and on the outskirts of woodlands. It is a member of the Weasel family, just like the Stoat. The Weasel isn't very often seen because it mainly hunts for food underground in tunnels. A Weasel can squeeze its head and whole body through a mouse tunnel.

The Weasel has a long, slender chestnut-brown body and its throat, chest and belly are a white colour. It has a medium-sized thickset tail which is also a chestnut brown colour. The Weasel has a long neck and a relatively long pointed face with long whiskers on either side. It also has large round ears and large black protruding eyes.

Weasels often stand on their hind legs so they can scan and smell their surroundings better and sometimes they climb up trees to steal eggs. They hunt both by day and night to look for food such as mice, voles, rats, small rabbits and sometimes fruit. Weasels rest and sleep in burrows of animals they have previously hunted and killed.

Wild Boar

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:13:09 +0000

The Wild Boar is an ancestor of the domesticated pig and became extinct in England in the seventeenth century. Nowadays around a hundred Wild Boar can be seen living wild in deciduous woodlands in Sussex, Kent and a few in Dorset.

The Wild Boar is a stocky-looking mammal with a broad head tapering to a blunt snout. The snout looks similar to that of a domestic pig. It has a body covered in coarse, dark grey hair often covered in mud and it has a short straight tail. The Wild Boar appears to have ‘tusks’ pointing upwards out of its mouth, but these are actually its lower canine teeth. The male's ‘tusks’ can be five to ten centimetres long and can be quite dangerous, causing deep wounds. The female’s ‘tusks’ are much smaller and less prominent.

Female Wild Boars and their young live in herds called sounders, whereas the males usually live on their own for most of the year. Wild Boars are active at dawn and dusk when they forage the ground for acorns, beech nuts, roots and even carrion. These mammals have sensitive skin so they often roll around in mud to protect themselves from the sunlight and to help them remove parasites.