Volunteers across the UK are being asked to become ‘wildlife detectives’ this spring by searching their gardens, parks and other urban green spaces for wild mammals and recording their findings online.

Conservationists at leading wildife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) are calling for nature lovers, families and individuals to participate in their annual Living with Mammals survey, which runs throughout the year. The survey helps conservationists track changes in wild mammal populations, from bats and badgers to wood mice and weasels, and crucially, identify those that need the most urgent support.

Taking part is simple: just spend a little time in a local green space – it might be a garden or park, an allotment or churchyard – looking for wild mammals or the signs they leave behind such as footprints or droppings, and record it online. And whether you spot a ubiquitous grey squirrel or a rare red one, a molehill or muntjac tracks, every record submitted to the survey’s website (ptes.org/lwm) is important. The survey is open to everyone, with guides and information on recognising the different species you might see, so anyone can become an expert!