What do the bat, the shrew, the deer or the stone marten have in common?
They are all mammals and can be observed in several places in the Hauts-de-France region.
But these species, after all common, are not the only ones to have chosen our regions to live.
In total, more than 70 species of mammals are present in the region, known or unknown.
And it is the latter that interest environmental defense associations.
Thus, Picardie nature, the Mammalogical Coordination of the North of France (CMNF) and the Ornithological and Naturalist Group of Nord - Pas-de-Calais (GON) have undertaken to identify all the species with the objective of producing an atlas. , which will be released in 2024.
The marten likes to hide in attics or under the eaves.
"It will present the geographical distribution of all the species of terrestrial and marine mammals present in the territory and will propose a monograph for each of them", underline the three associations at the origin of the project.
The inventory has already started but to carry it out successfully, the associations need the inhabitants, and in particular information on the animals that find refuge in homes or farm buildings.
"Field mice, voles, shrews, rats, leots, martens, bats, are all discreet species with nocturnal habits and linked to the building," underlines Lucie Dutour, in charge of scientific study observatory wildlife in Picardy nature.
Any new data on these animals will thus improve regional knowledge on mammals.
"
Several species of bats are represented in the region.
DR
With some wise advice, certain clues make it possible to spot species of a discreet nature.
The barn owl, a nocturnal raptor, leaves behind “rejection balls”, balls made up of undigested parts of their prey.
“I found some in my shed,” explains Alexis, a poultry farmer.
With an animator from Picardy nature, we installed a nesting box in a barn, in order to facilitate the installation of a couple and to observe them.
"
From these observations emerge a wealth of invaluable information on the habits and the way of life of these animals which shun the light.
The breeder is all the more delighted by the presence of these raptors, large consumers of small rodents, because it allows him to naturally regulate rodents which could otherwise proliferate.
The exploitation of the "balls" abandoned by the owls also makes it possible to identify their preys, and therefore to feed the data of the atlas in another way.
T
o welcome volunteers who will help identify the species of mammals present in certain buildings, all you have to do is get in touch with the
Picardie Nature
association
, which can operate throughout the Oise department.
