A WILDLIFE charity is trying to collect a years' worth of data with a survey.

People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is running its Living with Mammals survey throughout all of 2021. The survey is set to start this week.

PTES is a UK conservation charity that helps protect some of the most threatened wildlife species and habitats.

Last year the survey had record numbers of volunteers involved, due to the fact more people were at home and spent time watching wildlife in their gardens or nearby green spaces.

The increased observation meant that more mammals were spotted. These sightings included hazel dormice and hedgehogs. PTES is asking people to be on the lookout for or even just signs of wildlife, such as footprints or droppings.

The Argus: PTES are launching a year long survey.PTES are launching a year long survey.

David Wembridge, mammal surveys coordinator at PTES, said: “Despite the challenges of 2020, one positive was the number of people seeing wild mammals more frequently, some for the first time.

“Connections with nature are so important - not only do we gain a unique insight into the lives of our wild neighbours, which is hugely beneficial for conservation, but wildlife watching and being close to nature is known to have a positive impact on our mental health too, which is needed now perhaps more than ever.”

In 2020, more than 2,000 people took part in the survey and the top five most recorded species were squirrels, hedgehogs, foxes, mice and bats. To take part in Living with Mammals 2021 visit: livingwithmammals.ptes.org