Britain’s Mammals 2018: Mammal Society’s Guide to their Population and Conservation Status

Terrestrial mammal populations of Great Britain were last comprehensively reviewed in 1995. An up-to-date study of the population and conservation status of British mammals, with an assessment of their likely prospects, is, therefore, long overdue. Mammal Society’s Review of the Conservation and Population Status of British Mammals, commissioned by Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, and Scottish Natural Heritage, was published in June 2018. It uses more than 1.5 million individual biological records, and provides the best available assessment of population size, geographical range, temporal trends, and future prospects of the 58 British terrestrial mammal species. Mammal Society has also produced the frst approved Red List for native British Mammals, derived according to guidelines set by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In addition, it has assessed naturalised species, and has made country-level assessments for England, Scotland and Wales. Although there is no formal mechanism for approving country-level assessments, or those made for naturalised species, they nevertheless provide a useful and transparent guide for prioritising conservation action.