Recent Additions to British Mammals

Abstract

THE recent discovery of a specimen of the squirreltailed or edible dormouse (Glis glis) in Shropshire, near Ludlow (Field, Jan. 4) is an interesting example of an alien mammal that has colonized parts of the British countryside. Although it is a controversial point with naturalists as to whether or not established aliens and feral escapes in the countryside should be admitted to the faunal list, some recorders do accept them when they are permanently established in the wild. Some fifty years ago, the late Lord Rothschild released specimens of the squirrel-tailed dormouse, a native of south Europe, near Tring, since when it has established itself in parts of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire and is increasing; but the Shropshire record is apparently farther north. There are small Japanese deer established in some woods in the Home counties and Lakeland, where they are often confused with roe deer, which also exist there, while an interesting example of feral animals establishing themselves are the herds of ‘wild’ goats that inhabit some of the mountains of Wales, as on Rhinog Fawr, near Llanbedr, where some of the old billies have huge horns; and also in Scotland, where at least thirteen wild herds were counted a few years ago at places like Ben Lomond, at Dochfour near Inverness, on the Black Isle cliffs near Cromarty, in western Ross, Mull, Islay, Harris, Tiree, Rum, Arran and Eig. There was once a herd of feral goats on Ailsa Craig, but they were shot down because they interfered with the tame goats kept by the lighthouse keepers.