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Short story from the understory My name is Stephen Carroll and I’m a dormouse-aholic. 16 years ago I encountered dormice at a woodland near Exeter, and I’ve been monitoring the nestbox scheme there ever since. The timing coincided with my mature awakening as a wildlife enthusiast. Also, I live in Devon, a dormousey hotspot, so …

Hi, my name is Holly and I have been volunteering with the Nottinghamshire Dormouse Group as part of the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP) since February 2019. I am currently studying at University and want to go into conservation when I graduate. For that reason, I began volunteering with …

My job in a nutshell I have often wondered, if I was ever stopped by the police and asked my occupation, and I replied, ‘I’m a dormouse officer’, whether they would see the funny side. I hope they would, because this job is fun, exciting, interesting, challenging, stressful, and very rewarding. But what do I …

Hi, I’m Suzanne! I moved to Kent from Leeds 22 years ago and was keen to get involved with the local wildlife groups as a way of connecting with the county. I contacted Kent Mammal Group to ask if there was any way I could help out and they said I might want to train …

Hi, I’m Michael Walker and I’ve been helping to monitor the dormice at the three reintroduction sites in Nottinghamshire since 2015 when I was on the feeding rota for the new release that year. That was also the first time that I came face to face with a dormouse. Reintroductions generate a lot of interest …

Hazel dormice aren’t picky; they take advantage of whatever food is around Eating is not only essential to life, but what is eaten and when can have a considerable impact on a species: where it’s found, how many offspring a female gives birth to, how much competitive overlap there is with other animals and even …

2020 marks thirty years of the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP) which is an incredible achievement. And it’s thanks mainly to our volunteers. Their dormouse data enables us to produce a robust, current state of hazel dormice in Britain. An achievement, because getting a dormouse licence isn’t easy. Dormouse licences explained People usually want a …

From the arboreal to the aquatic Fifteen species of rodent make up about a quarter of the wild terrestrial mammal species in Britain. They’ve filled a wide range of niches, from the arboreal (red squirrels and hazel dormice) to the aquatic (water voles and beavers), and many are familiar urban neighbours. Most conspicuous are red …

Stopping the demand of rhino horn The last decade has witnessed a rhino poaching crisis. On average almost 1,000 rhinos were being killed every year. Why? Most rhino horn is taken to Asia, but the reasons people demand rhino horn are complex. Horn has historically been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine but recent years have …

Our project leader, William Isebaiddu, sent a message the other day from Uganda. Your donations are helping us to support his Singida tilapia fish breeding programme at Kibanga Village, Koome Island, on Lake Victoria. The Lake hosts hundreds of species of fish, but over fishing, agriculture and the introduced Nile perch have devastated Singida tilapia …

Between sessions at the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 26), the whistles and chatter of starlings should be played to remind delegates of the Danish dairy farmer, Peder Thellesen. Thellesen, who has no formal scientific training, may or may not be at the climate talks in person, but his work has been described as …

People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling on supporters to sign a petition to address the global wildlife trade. The global wildlife trade can be cruel and a hotbed for emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19. Join us in demanding a solution to the global wildlife trade. Now. The Coalition to Ban Wildlife Trade campaign, …