Polecat and Mink road kills needed for ecological research

Road killed animals are sadly a too frequent sight on the edges of roads at this time of year. Important information can, however, be gathered from these animals to assist with their conservation.
Researchers from the Conservation Ecology Research Team (CERTs) at Swansea University are interested in obtaining the bodies of road killed polecat, ferret-polecats and American mink from the South Wales region. Our understanding of the ecology of these wonderful animals is surprising poor and data gathered from examining road killed animals can provide a wealth of information of the distribution, diets, and other important aspects of these animals’ natural history. CERTs are also interested in visual sightings of these animals, including historical records from anywhere in Wales. If you have any records that you would like to report, or are able to assist with the provision of road killed animals, please can you contact Dr Dan Forman (d.w.forman@swansea.ac.uk / tel: 01792 295445).

Important details to record (where possible) are:

1. The date
2. A 6 figure grid reference
3. The name of the nearest village or town

Please do not put yourself in danger when collecting road killed animals and please also be aware that it is illegal to stop on motorways to pick up dead animals (you are also likely to get some very strange looks from passers by!).

Please contact Dan using the above contact points if you have any queries or questions about this research. Many thanks for your time and assistance with this research.