Millions of Brits have never seen a badger, bat or a raven in the wild

Millions of Brits have never seen a badger, bat or a raven in the wild, a study has found.

While 89 per cent would describe themselves as ‘wildlife lovers’, one in three haven’t ever seen a badger in its natural environment while four in 10 have never seen a weasel.

One in four of those polled, by smartphone manufacturer Huawei, hasn’t caught sight of a wild rabbit and 24 per cent are yet to spot a frog while walking through the countryside.

The nation’s birds also prove elusive for some with 26 per cent claiming to have never seen a starling and more than one in four still to spot a raven.

Other birds on the yet-to-see list for many include a cuckoo, tawny owl, thrush and wren.

But eight in 10 adults would like to get closer to wildlife with those in Cardiff, Leeds and Glasgow most likely to want to become more familiar with the animals in their local area.

It also emerged more than one in five would like to capture the local wildlife on camera if they could get close enough.

The study was commissioned to celebrate the launch of the Huawei P20 Pro – the first smartphone to come equipped with three camera lenses and a 5x hybrid zoom – and uncovered what Brits are most keen to photograph.

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To bring wildlife closer to people, Huawei has supersized a number of elusive ravens, making them 5x bigger so they are easier to get a perfect shot of.

Justin Costello, spokesman for Huawei UK, said: “With summer finally here, it’s great to know how passionate the British are about wildlife and photography.

“With the help of its three Leica lenses, 5x hybrid zoom and powered by AI, the Huawei P20 Pro smartphone can help you get the perfect shot.”