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- - 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.
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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.

Dormouse reintroduction day 2018

Dormouse Reintroduction Day 2018

On the 14^th June we released 39 dormice in a woodland in Warwickshire as part of the Natural England Species Recovery Programme. The release was a big day for the dormice and everyone involved in the release – and it all went according plan!

Dormouse decline

Sadly hazel dormice have become extinct from 17 English counties since the end of the 19^th century, with populations thought to have fallen by a third since 2000 – a rate of decline equivalent to 55% over 25 years. Loss of woodland and hedgerow habitat, as well as changes to traditional countryside management practices, are all factors which have caused this decline. Reintroductions play an important role in the long-term conservation of this endangered species and are part of the Species Recovery Programme supported by Natural England. This is our 27^th dormouse reintroduction. Over the last 25 years, more than 900 dormice have been released at 23 different sites.

Team talk

Image 1 of 6

It takes a team to reintroduce 39 dormice! Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), Paignton Zoo and the Common Dormouse Captive Breeders Group all helped make this year's reintroduction such a success.

Update – July 2018

All the dormice released are captive bred and so to prepare them for their life in the wild we tend to fatten them up a bit in captivity to give them a head start in their new home. On the 14^th when they were first put in the wood the average weight of the dormice was 23.6g. Ten days later when the cages were opened the weights had dropped to an average of 20.11g. This is closer to the weights of wild dormice in June which is about 16.8g – perhaps they know that they need to be lean and agile to survive!

The volunteers will continue to provide food for the dormice throughout the summer . The next check will be in September so we will see how they are faring then.