Over 25 years of citizen science data provide exceptional resource for flagship species Data from a long-running citizen science survey is being used in the first ever national analysis of stag beetle population distribution in the UK. An astonishing 82,883 records submitted to the Great Stag Hunt, run by People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) …

Jen Bousfield has been monitoring dormice in five woodlands in Devon since 2010. Earlier this year she had a close encounter with a dormouse that she wasn’t expecting: One evening at the beginning of April I received a telephone call. It was a friend from our Orchard Group who lives about half a mile away, …

PTES staff, volunteers, and conservation partners unite to restore a cherished native species in Leicestershire In March 2025, excitement rippled through the Bradgate Park Trust volunteer team. A new species reintroduction was on the horizon – but which one? Red squirrels? Pine martens? In April, the mystery was unveiled: hazel dormice were to make a …

People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and NatureSpace are collaborating to develop survey methodology and protocol to produce a more robust map of dormouse presence and distribution within a county. The project is being piloted this year in Sussex, which although well within the dormouse range does not appear to have the widespread populations of …

Simply create a wild patch, record its location online and encourage much-needed natural insect prey and nesting materials for native hedgehogs This July, gardeners, families and individuals are being urged to create wild patches as part of a new campaign to make more spaces with natural insect food and nesting materials for native hedgehogs. The …

The British public is being asked to keep an eye out for spectacular stag beetles this summer and record any sightings online, as part of a wildlife charity’s national Great Stag Hunt survey. The Great Stag Hunt, run by People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), has been running for over 25 years. Native stag beetles …

Outside your window, there are some ferocious predators: from insects to insectivores, and caterpillars to cats, fierce carnivores prowl around every corner. A lot of wild mammals, although not strictly carnivores, will eat other animals occasionally. But one group is known for it: the Carnivora, which includes the cat-, dog- and weasel families. They are …

Returning dormice to Leicestershire This week, we’ve reintroduced over 20 rare hazel dormice into a secret woodland location in Leicestershire, creating the county’s only known population of the tiny mammals. This is a landmark conservation effort which will bring rare hazel dormice back to an area where they once existed. This summer’s release builds on …

Landmark conservation effort aims to restore rare hazel dormice, classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List for Britain’s Mammals, to combat the national decline of 70% since 2000 This week, over 20 rare hazel dormice have been reintroduced into a secret woodland location in Leicestershire by wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) …

2025 marks a decade of the National Water Vole Monitoring Programme (NWVMP) – a huge milestone for the UK’s largest citizen science survey dedicated to water voles. Over the past decade, thousands of volunteers have submitted records of water voles from more than 2,200 sites nationwide. To everyone who has taken part: thank you. Whether …

Many species that are habitat specialists – organisms that rely on specific environments or food sources – are declining in what is becoming a worrying trend. One such specialist facing this threat is hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius), a species intimately linked with certain woodland habitats. Dormouse populations in Britain have plummeted by a staggering 78% …

Overall 2024 was a warm and unsettled year for the UK. It was the fourth warmest year on record in Britain. Eight months had temperatures above their usual average, with February being the second warmest on record, May the warmest, and December the fifth warmest. Winter and spring were both well above average for mean …