Darting through the undergrowth in a fast blur, you may catch a glimpse of a tail as something small scurries around.
How do you know what little furry friends we have living around us? You could try to catch one if you have lightning-fast reflexes or perhaps you could set up a catch-and-release trap but that requires late nights, early mornings and regular checking. A great way to monitor the small mammals we have on our nature reserves - and you could do this in your garden too (whilst also getting your full eight hours of sleep) - is to set out footprint tunnels. This can be an inexpensive and easy way to survey for mice, shrews and voles.
So how do you set one up? You'll need:
- A flat-based tunnel around 50cm long
- Some card
- Charcoal
- Olive oil
- Peanut butter
- Paint brush
