Mammals on Roads FAQs

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Why only journeys of 20 miles or more?

Shorter journeys are more likely to record no sightings than are longer ones, and these ‘negative’ records can be difficult to analyse. Restricting surveys to routes of 20 miles or more ensures that the proportion of those with no sightings is a minimum.

Why record entries about the route every 10 miles?

Ten-mile entries, or way-points, are necessary so the route followed can be plotted on the map of the UK as accurately as possible. This allows us to assign your route, or parts of your route to a particular region.

Why is the milometer reading necessary?

This helps us plot the position of mammal sightings and the route driven more accurately. It is used in conjunction with place names to plots routes and sightings.

Why survey only during July-September?

This is the time of year when wildlife and people are particularly mobile – young animals may be leaving the parental home, and human families are setting off on holiday. This is important as large numbers of journeys are needed to ensure that counts give a true picture of mammal abundance along roads and that as much of the country as possible is covered.

Why record the time of day of sightings?

The time of day when journeys are undertaken may influence the likelihood of mammals being seen. If we know the times of sightings, we can adjust for this possible effect when analysing the data.

Why can’t I record along the same route more than once in fourteen days?

This ensures that each animal is not recorded more than once



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