The Mammal Society is a British charity devoted to the research and conservation of British mammals. It was formed in 1954, and its inaugural spring conference took place the following year at the University of Exeter.
The Society has a membership of around 2,000 mammalogists, ecologists, and conservationists—both experts and enthusiasts—who work to develop a greater understanding of mammals and the conservation challenges they face. It runs national surveys for mammals, such as the Mini Mammal Monitoring programme.
A key focus of the Society is addressing the problem that mammals in the British Isles are severely under-recorded, which has historically hindered conservation progress. To overcome this, the Society is working to create a National Mammal Atlas that will provide vital information on mammal distribution and abundance, enabling informed conservation decisions for species in need. To achieve this, it collates national mammal data and records to gather up-to-date information.
The Society also offers a wide range of expert-led training courses for consultants, conservationists, and enthusiasts, covering ecology, technical skills, and surveying.
Governance:
- President: Penny Lewns
- Chair: Dr. Stephanie Wray
Legal status: Non-profit company and registered charity.
Location: 18, St. John's Church Rd., London, E9 6EJ.
Region served: United Kingdom
Website: www.mammal.org.uk
Publications:
The Mammal Society publishes several informative books for conservationists, enthusiasts, and consultants, as well as a high-impact scientific journal, Mammal Review.
Notable publications include:
- UK BAP Mammals: Interim Guidelines for Survey Methodologies, Impact Assessment & Mitigation (June 2012) — providing guidance for species that previously lacked such information.
- Mammals of the British Isles: Handbook (4th edition, 2008) — an 800-page reference work covering the biology, ecology, and conservation of every mammal species occurring in Britain and Ireland, with contributions from more than 100 members of the Society.
