Mammals at Little Wittenham Nature Reserve
Five species of bat use the Reserve: Pipistrelle Pipistrellus spp., Noctule Nyctalus noctula, Daubenton Myotis daubentoni, Natterers Myotis nattereeri and Brown Long-eared Plecotus auritus. With the exception of Brown Long-eared, they are all believed to have roosts on the Reserve. They are all protected by British and European legislation. In most years the Northmoor Trust organises a guided bat walk when you can see Daubenton's Bats taking insects over ponds, and listen to the different echolocation calls of several species, using 'bat detectors'.
Approximately fifteen active Badger Meles meles setts/holes are in use each year. Badgers and their setts are extensively protected from disturbance by the Protection of Badgers Act. There have been several sightings of 'white' Badgers, possibly erythristic. Both Common and Pygmy Shrews, Sorex araneus and S. minutus, occur throughout the Reserve. Harvest Mice Micromys minutus, nest on the slopes of Church Meadow and in the woods.
American Mink Mustela vison are well established along the riverbank and are periodically seen around the woodland ponds. This voracious predator is cited as one of the major causes for the decline in Water Vole Arvicola terrestris and Water Shrew Neomys fodiens which were once seen regularly along the riverbank and within the reserve. Water Shrews were seen near the woodland ponds in 1999, but there have been no reliable records of Water Vole for several decades.
There is a healthy population of Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi which breed within in the woodland. At only two feet tall, it is the smallest species of deer in Britain and has a distinctive loud bark, which is similar to that of a large dog. It is apparent that the grazing pressure exerted by this non-native species has a detrimental effect upon the ground flora within the woodland. Native Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus occur in much smaller numbers.
Other mammals which may be seen on the Reserve include Stoat, Weasel, Fox, Rabbit, Brown Hare, Grey Squirrel, Wood Mouse, Bank Vole and Field Vole.
