THE MAMMALS OF EPPING FOREST
by DAVID CORKE
Dept. Biology, N. E London Polytechnic, London, E 15.
INTRODUCTION
Epping Forest has long been a favourite area with naturalists; and because
mammals are a popular group of animals, it is possible to give a fairly complete
picture of the changes in status of mammals in the Forest over the last century
or so. The exceptions to this are the bats, about which almost nothing is known
in recent years, and some of the small mammals which are well known in Essex
generally but for which there are few Epping Forest surveys.
The deer, squirrels and badgers of the Forest have undergone dramatic
changes of status over the last century. It is fortunate that naturalists, in
particular members of the Essex Field Club, have recorded these changes so
well. In recent years Chapman (1977) has produced his comprehensive account
of the deer of Essex, Harris (1974) has reviewed the history and distribution of
squirrels in Essex and Cowlin (1972) has recorded the distribution of badgers in
Essex. Each of these authors has given especial attention to Epping Forest and I
am grateful to them for allowing me to summarise their work.
The other Forest mammals I have grouped according to their status in
Epping Forest. A large group of species has shown no major change in status
over the last century. Most of these are common and widespread in southern
England generally. There are two species of carnivore which have become
extinct in southern England and disappeared long ago from the Forest. The
dormouse is treated separately as its status is uncertain.
Throughout this account the English names for the mammals are used.
The checklist of Epping Forest mammals (page 23) gives the scientific names.
THE FOREST DEER
There have been deer of some kind in Epping Forest since before recorded
history. The early history is well summarised by Whitehead (1964). During the
nineteenth century all three species of deer then found wild in Britain occurred,
at times, in the Forest.
Red Deer
At the end of the eighteenth century red deer were still quite numerous, the
Epping staghounds were kept and used until 1797 and other hunts occurred
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