Mammals at Hylands Park
Badgers are reported from the Park and its vicinity - sadly often as road-kills on the A414 London
Road and Writtle by-pass. The re-incorporation of farmland in the north of the park with the River
Wid flowing through it, has enabled the Otter to be placed on the park's mammal list. Otter spraints,
with their distinctive smell and incorporated fish remains (scales and bones), were recorded 1998
- 2003 on the concrete area beneath the River Wid road bridge (Writtle by-pass).
Dormouse
Nests were recorded in 2002 in the western part of the park and near the south-east corner, a new
site for this rare and declining species in Essex.
Water Vole
Recorded from the River Wid in two places in 1991 and still present here in 2001 and 2002.
Deer
Muntjac - a small, introduced Asiatic deer - have been seen at Hylands on a number of occasions.
Unlike Fallow, they are solitary and most sightings are of individuals. They are sometimes chased
and injured, or even killed, by dogs in the park and there have been road casualties on the A414
London Road.
Most park visitors seem to be unaware of the fact that Hylands is sometimes home to a herd of
between 90 and 100 head of fallow deer. The herd probably originates from the Writtle Forest area,
accessing Hylands by its non deer-proof western boundary. Mostly they visit the park at night, but
it is also possible to see them in South Wood in small numbers during the day. During the foot and
mouth crisis (21/2/01 - 24/4/01) with much reduced visitor numbers and dogs kept on leads, deer
were often seen in numbers during daylight hours. I counted 88 in Long Broad Field. Fallow and
Muntjac are both frequent in the formal gardens area, but do relatively little damage here (they are,
however, rather partial to Bergenia). None of the deer 1 have seen are of the 'common-coloured'
variety as seen in the deer enclosure at Weald Park, but mostly they are menil (with quite a range of
variation) with one or two almost black individuals
Species not yet recorded
I suspect that sooner or later Mink (Mustela vison) will be recorded in the park - probably on the
River Wid. It is already known from the Wid near Whites Bridge on the Maldon Road near
Margaretting, being recorded here in 2000. The Water Shrew (Neomys fodiens) should be looked
for in the park, particularly near the Ice-House Pond and near the old watercress bed. Lastly, I
suspect that Natterer's Bat (Myotis nattereri) will also prove to be present either roosting, or more
probably, foraging in the park.
Reference
Dobson, J. (1999) The Mammals of Essex. Lopinga Books
Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park
157