Mammals

Small mammals such as voles and mice are a critical source of food for birds such as kestrel and barn owl.

Devon is a stronghold for bats, especially rare species such as lesser horseshoe, greater horseshoe and grey long-eared.

Beavers and water voles went extinct in Devon but have both been re-introduced. Beavers are now spreading across the county and building dams to help reduce flooding.

What we need to do and where

Water vole, Jonathan Ridley

Two hazel dormice are curled up within a nest of dry leaves that someone is holding up. The two dormice are side by side with their heads towards the top of the photo and their bums at the bottom, both facing to the right. They are golden yellow-brown on the back, head and sides and white on the belly, with furry darker grey brown tails that wrap around the bodies that are curled in on themselves. The dormice have pink hairless noses and four feet that are scrunched in on themselves as they sleep/hibernate with their eyes closed.

Hazel dormice, Annie Houston

1. About

Devon has supports 24 of the UK’s 28 native terrestrial mammals, both UK seals and 16 of the 17 UK breeding bat species. We also have both UK breeds of feral horse (Dartmoor and Exmoor ponies) and a herd of feral goats.

Mammals are a critical part of the food chain with small mammals such as voles and mice being a vital food source for predators such as barn owls, foxes, and pine martens.  Small mammals and bats are good indicators of a healthy environment.

Devon is a stronghold for otters, hazel dormice, greater horseshoe bats, lesser horseshoe bats, and grey long-eared bats; while whales, dolphins, and grey seals are frequently seen in our coastal waters.  England’s first wild beaver re-introduction project was carried out on the River Otter and they are now spreading across the county. In 2024 pine martens were re-introduced to Dartmoor where they are now living wild on Dartmoor for the first time in 150 years. Water voles are also being re-introduced across the county.

Follow the link below for more details on Devon’s mammals and those identified as Devon Special Species.

The huge issues caused by some of Devon’s non-native mammals such as grey squirrels and mink are discussed on the Invasive species page.

2. What we need to do and where

Priority

Increase the abundance and distribution of mammals across Devon, particularly those identified as Devon Special Species.

See Find out more for links to more detailed information on this group including management advice and records.

Devon Special Species

European otter Lutra lutra, adult female hauled out on a tangle of trees by the side of a river, Bedfordshire, January

Freshwater mammals

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Large grey seal lies facing the camera on a pale rock with blue sea in the background. The seal is all over dappled grey with the dominant colour being dark grey, except on the head which has a mix of grey and light brown splodges. The head is long with a long wide snout and half-closed black eyes. The tail is not visible and only one flipper is visible to the left of the seal which is also dark grey but white at the edges.

Intertidal mammals

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Two hazel dormice are curled up within a nest of dry leaves that someone is holding up. The two dormice are side by side with their heads towards the top of the photo and their bums at the bottom, both facing to the right. They are golden yellow-brown on the back, head and sides and white on the belly, with furry darker grey brown tails that wrap around the bodies that are curled in on themselves. The dormice have pink hairless noses and four feet that are scrunched in on themselves as they sleep/hibernate with their eyes closed.

Terrestrial mammals

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Bats

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Actions for all mammals

Devon’s mammals will benefit from actions to manage, create and connect a mosaic of habitats across Devon. For more information see the Habitats pages.

Anyone who manages habitat with rare species or who wants to create new habitat for them should be aware of their needs. For more information see the list of Devon Species of Conservation Concern and Find out more below.   

Join the Devon Mammal Group.

3. Inspiration

Follow the links above for case studies and where to see mammals.

4. Find out more

 This section will be tidied up and finalised following public consultation. Please share any links.

Devon Mammal Group is open to anyone with an interest in mammals. They organise talks and events and lead the Devon Harvest Mouse Project.

The Mammal Society website has information on all species, including how to identify them or their signs (such as tracks and droppings).

IUCN approved Red List for Britain’s Mammals.

The JNCC Conservation Designations for UK Taxa 2023 contains data from the JNCC, NE, NR, NatureScot and NIEA © Copyright and database right 2023. 

JNCC UK BAP List of UK Priority Species 2007

The NBN Atlas has species records and a search function that pulls up records for a specific area. Health warning: The Atlas shows records submitted and not the actual distribution of species. Therefore absence on the map does not mean absence. Some of the records are also quite old and the species may no longer be present. 

Devon Biodiversity Records Centre (DBRC) collects, manages and makes available records of wildlife. Note: they may charge depending on the reason for the request.

iNaturalistUK helps you identify wildlife and share records.

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