The aim of the Derbyshire Mammal Atlas Project is to produce an Atlas of Derbyshire Mammals as a book and in digital format.
The Atlas will be a set of maps showing the distribution of species in the county, with supporting text about the status and ecology of each mammal.
Derbyshire Mammal Group are undertaking this mammoth task in partnership with Sorby Mammal Group and Derbyshire Biological Records Centre. However, there are many other organisations and individuals recording mammals in Derbyshire and we are keen for these organisations to get involved and contribute or exchange records.
A project of this magnitude has not been undertaken in Derbyshire before: Maps have been published for some species for the whole county, and atlases have been published for part of the county for all species, but nothing has been done for all species across the whole county.
Our target year is 2010, so we still have well over two years for going out, recording, surveying and data gathering. The end product will be a useful and detailed work of reference, and a baseline for future surveys. The supporting database will also be a useful conservation tool.
The group has recently purchased a copy of the DMAP software, in order to produce individual species distribution maps from records, which are currently being updated and added.
Distribution maps are being updated monthly and the May 2008 updates are now available to view. There are also links to these from the mammal status pages. A "white square" simply means that we have no mammal records at all from that square. Our aim is to fill in this map by making special visits (as individuals or as a group) to "white squares" to record mammals. In theory, all squares should have at least one species.
There are currently (30th April, 2008) over 18000 records in the database! The monthly special survey days this year are adding nicely to this total, as are all the others coming in from individuals.
Well, just keep recording. Try to visit new places. Use a range of techniques to record different species. Talk to people about the Atlas Project, especially local groups with members who have local knowledge. Keep sending in your records.
Some species are particularly under-recorded and will require special attention. House Mouse is a good example of a species that is not recorded by standard field techniques and is under-represented in the database. We need to make special efforts to record this species.
Hedgehogs will now be around, maybe in your garden, after their spell of hibernation. Tell us about them by sending your sightings in as a record. If you're not familiar with grid references, your postcode will do nicely as we can convert it.
Look out for the leaflet promoting the Mammal Atlas Project. It includes
a mini-recording form to return to us with any records of mammal sightings
or signs you may have.
Just launched as part of the Mammal Atlas Project are the Garden Mammals survey and the School Grounds Mammals Survey
Other events will be advertised over the coming months and years by DMG and Sorby MG, so watch out for these.
More mammal recording surveys are taking place in 2008 by DMG. These are in the new events programme. The next one is on Sunday 18th May (area to be announced).
Please send your records to:
Debbie Court, 61, Hillside Rise, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 1NH
Email:
