Main Menu

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.

Basket Search

Donate

PTES News Basket Search

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.

Meet Julie Mottishaw: dormouse monitor

In this series, we chat to the dedicated staff members, conservation partners and volunteers at PTES. We find out why each of them chose a career in wildlife conservation, what they find rewarding about their work and what they love most about what they do.

Julie Mottishaw

Dormouse monitor at Chilworth and Wildwood, Surrey

How long have you been monitoring for?

I started helping Dave Williams when he was working for Surrey Wildlife Trust in 2007. Two years later I gained my licence and it was also in 2009 that Dave and I established the Surrey Dormouse Group and a training scheme for those working towards their licence. Both have evolved over time but are still going strong.

Tell us about the site you monitor

I monitor Chilworth and Wildwood. The site at Chilworth has been monitored since 2009, and Wildwood since 2010. Chilworth’s a very interesting site as it’s around the remains of the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills: boxes sit around deep excavations in which the gunpowder was stored. Unfortunately, after several years of recording relatively good numbers of dormice, we haven’t seen one since 2015. It’s quite an isolated woodland so the chances of a new population moving in are slim. By contrast Wildwood is part of a very large woodland which gives the owners, Guildford Borough Council, opportunities for carrying out larger scale habitat management, which they do with our input. There are some wonderful examples of very old yew trees in the wood.

What’s the most memorable day you’ve had looking for dormice?

The most memorable day I had on a box check was when we found baby pygmy shrews in a dormouse box! We hadn’t found any dormice for a while, so it was exciting to find a box full to the brim with bits of moss and leaves. We discovered the babies as we carefully took the bedding out in the large bag. Worried about disturbing them we quickly returned all the bedding and put the box back on the tree. As we stepped back two adult pygmy shrews started a non-stop relay, up and down the tree to the box, presumably with food. We watched fascinated for a while and were pleased that all the babies had left the box the following month.

Baby pygmy shrew found by Julie on a box check (left) by Julie Mottishaw. Hazel dormouse in nest (right) by Graham Nicol.

Tell us something about you we wouldn’t expect from a dormouse monitor

I started my career in 1970 as a computer programmer, developing the very first PC system for the airline I worked for, and later helped to manage the introduction of the first self-service kiosks.

Find out more about hazel dormice and how you can help here:

Find out more

Lead image by Stephen-Bardwell. Profile photo by Julie Mottishaw.