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Mammals are some of the most under-recorded species in Britain. With one in four of our native mammals threatened with extinction, and many others in decline, they need to be recorded now more than ever. Mammal Mapper was developed by Natural Apptitude for The Mammal Society to help collect this vital data to inform the conservation of the UK’s mammals.
The Background
Most wild mammals, including rabbits and iconic species like hedgehogs and mountain hares, are very poorly monitored.
This makes it difficult to know which regions or habitats are most important for them, or to detect changes in their ranges and population sizes.
The Mammal Society wanted an app which is easy for everyone to use in order to encourage people to record their sightings.
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Our Solution
Natural Apptitude developed an app which makes it easy for people without any expert knowledge in mammals or tracking mammals to:
- Record signs and sightings of mammals
- Record mammals along a route whilst out walking/running/cycling or even as a passenger in a car or one-off sightings like a hedgehog in your garden
- Identify the mammals and/or field signs using the in-built detailed guides
By recording both the time people spend looking for mammals and tracking the route, the app provides valuable insights. This effort-based data is far more useful to assess populations because it helps us understand if animals are actually missing from an area or if it’s just because no one is looking for them.
All records collected via the Mammal Mapper app join the nationwide database of citizen science records at the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) and the Biological Records Centre BRC, where they are verified by expert county recorders.
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Ongoing Impact
Since its launch in 2018, Mammal Mapper has collected over 100,000 mammal records across the UK. Observers have recorded over 50 different mammal species ranging from hedgehogs and pine martens to red-necked wallabies.
Members have carried out over 18,000 transects on foot alone, contributing more than 60,000 km of systematic mammal monitoring across the UK (a distance which constitutes 1.5 times around the earth).
In June 2025, the Mammal Society’s Youth Ambassadors recorded the longest Mammal Mapper transect ever by recording their sightings along the entire length of the West Highland Way - a distance of 96 miles.
Get Involved
In addition to recording your mammal sightings using the app, becoming a member and getting involved in your local mammal group is fun and rewarding and a great way to support the Mammal Society's work.
Read the News article
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