Guidelines for the Selection of Biological Heritage Sites

Contents

7. Section 2: Species Guidelines

7.4. MAMMALS

Application(all mammal guidelines)

Acceptable evidence of the presence of mammal species includes sightings of animals, their nests and in appropriate cases, faecal material. Sites may be considered for inclusion if they fulfil any of the following guidelines based upon post-1987 records for the species concerned.

Ma1(a) Any site which regularly supports a native population of mammal species (except bats) listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive and in Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

Application

Any site with a population of a mammal species in these categories should be included, except for those which are the result of recent deliberate introductions which do not form part of a recognised species recovery programme. Site selection is based primarily on regularly used breeding territories. However, consideration should be given to identifying areas utilized at other times of the year where these contribute to the essential habitat requirements of the species. Those species in Lancashire to which this guideline applies may include:

Justification

These species are of restricted distribution, and have suffered a drastic decline in abundance, both nationally and within Lancashire. There is either a national or international obligation to secure the conservation of these species and their habitats.

Ma1(b) Any site which regularly supports a roost of any species of bat, as included in Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

Application

It is not intended that this guideline will be applied to domestic or industrial (including agricultural) buildings, whether or not they are in use by man. However, consideration may be given to certain types of artificial structures, such as tunnels, bridges, retaining walls and mine shafts. Any type of roost (nursery, hibernation, etc.) may be selected. The following bat species are presently known to occur in Lancashire:

Justification

All British bats are protected under section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in view of the threats faced by bats generally. Whilst the Pipistrelle - by far the commonest species in Britain and in Lancashire - is largely associated with buildings, natural habitats and other structures are also important, especially for the scarcer species.

NB. Whilst bats and their roost sites are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), their foraging areas are not. Successful conservation of bats is dependent not only on the protection of roost sites but on the identification and protection of their key feeding areas. The National Bat Habitat Survey⁽¹⁾ investigated the use of numerical measures of bat flight activity. Such surveys of the habitats required by foraging bats in the County are not sufficiently advanced; consequently the quantitative information required to develop and apply a guideline relating to foraging habitat is not currently available. A standardised methodology for bat surveys should be available in the future with the publication of the Bat Survey Manual⁽²⁾.

Ma2 Any site which regularly supports a native breeding population of a mammal species which is recorded from 3 or fewer localities in Lancashire.

Application

Any site with a population of a mammal species in this category should be included, except for those which are the result of recent deliberate introductions which do not form part of a recognised species recovery programme. On the basis of present knowledge, this guideline may apply to:

Justification

These species are extremely rare in Lancashire.

Ma3 Any site which regularly supports a native breeding population of mammal species which is recorded from more than 3 localities in Lancashire but which could be under threat because of small populations, recent rapid decline or habitat deterioration or loss.

Application

Any site with a population of a mammal species in these categories may be considered for inclusion, except for those which are the result of recent deliberate introductions which do not form part of a recognised species recovery programme. This guideline is presently considered to apply to the following species:

Justification

Harvest mouse is at the northern edge of its British range in Lancashire, where it is believed to exist only as a few small isolated populations.

(1) Walsh et al (1995)
(2) Hutson (in prep)
* There are no known recent records for dormouse from within the current administrative boundary of Lancashire.