Volunteers across the UK are being asked to search their gardens, nearby parks, and urban green spaces for wild mammals.

Wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) are calling for people to take part in its annual Living with Mammals survey, which runs throughout the year.

The survey is designed to help conservationists track changes in wild mammal populations in an effort to identify species in need.

David Wembridge, Mammal Surveys coordinator at PTES comments:

“Historically we haven’t associated urban spaces with wildlife, but that’s changing. It’s becoming more apparent that our towns and cities can be key strongholds for some species, such as hedgehogs, and we need people to tell us who their wild neighbours are if we want to support and protect these species.”

He notes that the survey is a “great way” for people to connect with nature as well as building a “nationwide picture of the ‘green-health’ of urban spaces and the role they play supporting wildlife.”

In 2024 over 700 sites were surveyed across the UK, findings showed that around one in 10 sites recorded sightings or signs of rabbits – the average proportion of sites with rabbits present in the last three years is 40% less than that of five years ago.

For more information and to take part in Living with Mammals, visit ptes.org/lwm.