The Thin End

Almost one in five of British mammal species face a high risk of extinction, according to the first comprehensive review of their populations for more than 20 years launched this week by The Mammal Society and Natural England. The red squirrel, wildcat and the grey long-eared bat are all facing severe threats to their survival. Other mammals such as the hedgehog and water vole have seen their populations decline by up to 66% over the past 20 years. Red Squirrel by Malcolm Welch Climate change and pesticides Climate change, loss of habitat, use of pesticides and road deaths are all putting pressure on some of the best-loved and most recognisable of Britain’s 58 terrestrial mammals.   Prof Fiona Mathews, Mammal Society Chair and professor of Environmental Biology at the University of Sussex, says This is happening on our own doorstep so it falls upon all of us to try and do what we can to ensure that our threatened species do not go the way of the lynx, ...