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Wildlife
- Close
- - We protect wildlife in Britain and around the world by bringing our most threatened species back from the brink of extinction. We do this through ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Wild places
- Close
- - Some habitats contain such a richness of life that we need to protect them at all odds. We are working to preserve ancient woodlands, orchards and wood pastures and parklands, as well as the countless species they support.
What we do
- Close
- - Everything we do is based on scientific evidence. We gather this through surveys, which you can take part in, and by awarding research grants to the most inspiring scientists worldwide. This evidence guides our conservation efforts and is shared through our events and publications.
Who we are
- Close
- - People’s Trust for Endangered Species was set up in 1977 to save our wildlife. We are governed by a board of volunteer trustees and our team of staff are passionate about protecting endangered species and places.
Success stories
- Close
- - We strive to bring our most threatened species in the UK and around the world back from the brink of extinction. Our successes come from ground-breaking research, practical conservation and education, all with the help of our supporters.
Get involved
- Close
- - There are so many ways you can help save endangered species. Fancy taking part in a survey, joining us on a wildlife event or becoming a regular supporter?
Shop
- Close
- - Support our work in our shop with a range of charity gifts, home-ware, cards and more. 100% of the profits go directly to help wildlife both in the UK an overseas.
Donate
- Close
- - There is nothing natural about the alarming rate at which we are losing animals and their homes. It is absolutely avoidable. We can stop the loss of our wildlife – but we need your support. You can act now by choosing to give to our cause. Thank you.

Home // Key species and habitats // Hazel dormice // Protection for hazel dormice // Hazel dormice legislation

Hazel dormice legislation

Legislation

The international status dormice is ‘of least concern’, downgraded from ‘low risk (near threatened) by the IUCN in 2009. The downgrade was mainly because it’s common and widespread in Lithuania with no observed decline. However, in the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and the UK, the decline is evident.

In the UK, dormice are legally protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and have significant further protection as a European Protected Species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (as amended). In spite this, dormice are declining 5.8% annually which means that here they could classified as ‘Vulnerable’ and possibly ‘Endangered’ under IUCN criteria.

Dormice are also a ‘Species of Principal Importance for the conservation of biodiversity’ listed under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (NERC). Section 40 of the Act places a ‘Biodiversity Duty’ on all public bodies to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity which includes giving consideration to the restoration and enhancement of species and habitats.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) specifies that local authorities should aim to conserve and enhance ‘biodiversity’ requiring planning policies and applications to ‘promote the preservation, restoration and re-creation of priority habitats, ecological networks and the protection and recovery of priority species populations, linked to national and local targets, and identify suitable indicators for monitoring biodiversity’.

We have been working to save hazel dormice in the UK for over 20 years. Find out about our campaigns and how you can help.

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