What is wildlife recording?

Many people are interested in wildlife and watch and identify the species which visit their gardens or favourite local places. Unfortunately, far fewer record the wildlife they see and pass on this valuable information. And that is where you can help!

Wildlife recording, sometimes referred to as biological recording, is the scientific study of the distribution of living organisms. Biological records describe the presence, abundance, associations and changes, both in time and space, of wildlife. In its simplest form it is no more than writing down a little information about what you have seen and where and when you saw it and sharing it with others.

In doing so you can help to contribute greatly to local knowledge of our wildlife and habitats. Records can help to establish the distribution and size of populations, and regular recording may enable us to detect changes over time. They help to identify the location of rare and locally important species, and can be used to help protect them and their habitats from damage. Over time they help us to understand how our environment is changing, for example in response to climate change. Even records of commoner species can be valuable too – what is common today may not be in the future. A great deal of useful information remains locked inside the heads of local people, so why not help by sending in your wildlife records and make the information available to present and future generations.