Mammals

Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus

In the early 1990s was recorded “patrolling the dunes at night”, but there have been no reported sightings since. The only recent record concerns a long dead individual which was discovered in Greenland Lake.

Mole Talpa europaea

Molehills are rare in the recording area, but this species can be found in the grassland near the seawall, dead individuals have also been recorded in the car park and on Warren Point.

Common Shrew Sorex araneus

Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus

Water Shrew Neomys fodiens

None of the shrews are seen regularly but they can often be heard from undergrowth especially in wooded areas. Most identified records concern individuals which are found dead on the edge of paths.

Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Bats can be regularly seen in the summer months feeding over the Main Pond. It was not until 2004 were they identified using a Bat Detector.

Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus

This species probably has a very long association with the Warren! It is thought the area could have been first used as a warren by the Normans and this then continued into the Middle Ages. The grazing pressure maintained by this species benefits a large number of the rarer plants that grow in the recording area. Myxomatosis outbreaks occur each year, but these rarely threaten the population, however the arrival of Viral Haemorrhagic Disease has had a devastating effect. Numbers appear to be stable or increasing currently, but at a much lower level than previously.

Brown Hare Lepus europaeus

The second record for the recording area was on Warren Point on 5/7/06. There is also an undated record from the 1970s. It is possible that this species was present in the past before recording began.

Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

A rare visitor, even vagrant, to the Warren with fewer than 10 records, although its occurrence has increased in recent years. Individuals are usually seen in the Entrance Bushes or Main Wood but it has even been recorded along the shore of the Bight.

Field Vole Microtus agrestis

This species is rarely recorded, possibly due it secretive nature. However it is occasionally seen around Greenland Lake.

Bank Vole Clethrionomys glareolus

This species is very rarely recorded, the most recent record appears to be one which was caught using small mammal traps in 1990.

Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus

Although no mammal trapping has occurred on site, at least recently, this species is still known to be present, most often recorded in the Visitor Centre!

Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus

Most commonly seen around the amusements area, its tracks however can be seen anywhere on the Dune Ridge.

Porpoise Phocoena phocoena

There have only been one or two recent records for this declining species. The third record was on 5/12/04.

Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas

There have been at least two records of this species along the tide line. The first involved an adult which was washed ashore dead in February 1992, it had injuries suggesting it had been in collision with a ship. The other record occurred in October 2001 when a small unweaned calf was found stranded near Warren Point, unfortunately it was too ill to be refloated and had to be put down. What was presumably this individual was reported the day before along with some distant dorsal fins that could have been this species. The third recent and the first non stranded record was an adult offshore during the morning of the 21/5/2005.

Bottle-nosed Dolphin Tursiops truncates

Dolphins have become a regular feature of the summer months, although they have been recorded at all times of year. In summer a pod of up to 30 animals is usually present in this area of Lyme Bay, with records from Torbay and Teignmouth relating to the groups seen off the Warren. If feeding conditions are good they can often be located by searching the area of sea around diving Gannets.

Common Dolphin Delphinus delphus

There has only been one recent record, in March 1997, two individuals were well watched swimming into the estuary mouth before heading back out to sea.

Fox Vulpes vulpes

There are usually one or two dens on the reserve and individuals can be seen throughout the year, although mostly only early morning or late evening.

Stoat Mustela erminae

Most often recorded on the Dune Ridge, it was confirmed breeding in 2004, when an adult was seen carrying two young from the foredunes into an area of bramble. The decline in Rabbits may have contributed to a drop in recent sightings.

Weasel Mustela nivalis

One was seen near the visitor centre on 28/1/2005, the first confirmed record since the early 1990s. Another individual was seen at the northern end of Greenland Lake on 26/6/05.

Mink Mustela vison

This introduced American species was recorded infrequently up to the early 1990s, fortunately there have been no recent records.

Badger Meles meles

There are no setts in the recording area, but individuals are possibly resident. Rarely seen, their presence is often revealed by diggings for worms on the Golf Course fairways and even greens!

Otter Lutra lutra

There is an old report of one being washed up dead on the tideline, however there have been no recent records, but this species may have been present in the past, along with other species such as Brown Hare.

Common Seal Phoca vitulina

(Atlantic) Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus

Despite the name the Grey Seal is by far the commonest recorded here, individuals often remain in the area for long periods and it can be encountered throughout the year. They are most often seen in the river at high tide or hauled out on exposed sandbars. The Common Seal is by contrast a rare visitor with only two or three recent records.

Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus

A single hind was present on site for several weeks in the autumn of 2001. Despite the length of stay it was only seen infrequently, usually around Greenland Lake and the Main Wood, another was present in 2004 & 2005. Other records include a hind which was recorded walking in front of the hide before swimming across Shutterton Creek.

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