YOUR PICTURES - MAMMALS

Mammals

Mammals are warm blooded, with hairy skin and give birth to live young which they suckle.

There are many species of mammal in the UK from the pygmy shrew, which is our smallest land mammal, through to the red deer which is in fact our largest land animal.

Ten of the spectacles in Nature's Top 40 featured mammals.

Web links

BBC Science and Nature - Mammals

Mammal Society

Wild About Britain

Peoples trust for Endangered Species

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Photo gallery

Watch and Listen

BBC Nature's Calendar - Get top tips on how to get close to elusive Red Deer with Mike Dilger on Exmoor.

Watch the video clip

BBC Nature's Calendar - Go badger watching with Chris Packham in Dorset in broad daylight! Top Tips included.

Watch the video clip

BBC Nature's Calendar - Join Mike Dilger and David Bellamy watching Red Squirrels at Wallington in Northumberland.

Watch the video clip

Help playing audio/video

Tips

Tips for photographing mammals:

• Be patient... get yourself into position and stay there keeping a still as possible.
• Don't get to close, stay at a safe distance where you can focus on them without disturbing their natural habitat. This also allows for more natural looking shots..
• Before leaving for a photo shoot, make sure you've packed a few essentials - a camera bag and spare batteries, a tripod (if you have one), binoculars, dull coloured camouflage clothing (avoid bright colours!) and a packed lunch!
• Try focussing on the face or top half of larger animals and use your camera settings on manual to make the background look slightly blurry. Not only will the shot look artistically more satisfying, you'll get a sharper picture of the animal which will stand out from a dull background.
• Wear warm clothes... you could be there for some time!.

Habitat

Mammals are everywhere around us... from the wide open countryside to our back gardens and yards. You may even find the odd visitor inside your house!

Off the coast in certain parts of the UK you can see dolphins, whales and seals. In some places red squirrels can be seen in woodland areas, and in urban environments foxes, hedgehogs and bats will make a home.

Pine Martens and Bottle-nose Dophins, which both feature in our Top 40, are amongst the most at risk mammals in the UK.