Dormice

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 …

There were times this spring when it seemed not much was going on. One day blended into another and lockdown began to feel like a period of torpor or, perhaps even, hibernation. For the greater good, many of us had our movements restricted, and our favourite spots felt quite distant. As one of the fortunate …

Hibernation strategy There are three main strategies that animals use to help them get through the winter months. They migrate and move away from harsh weather; they adapt by growing thicker fur and storing food, or they hibernate. Hibernation is often referred to as a ‘sleep’ but it’s a very special type of sleep. The …

In the fields and forests of Bulgaria, Nedko Nedyalkov and his team have been avidly looking for evidence of Roach’s mouse-tailed dormouse over the past year. This mouse-tailed dormouse is one of the Europe’s rarest mammal species and is only found in the border area of Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. For forty years there had …

Loss of quality woodland habitat is a major factor and woodland management is critical to halting the decline of this charismatic species  Today [Wednesday 20th November 2019] a new report published by People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) has revealed that Britain’s population of hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) has declined by 51% since the millennium, …

What is the ‘Wildlife Assessment Check’ tool? Whether a development site is in a rural or urban area, it’s vital that wildlife and habitat value are considered to avoid habitat loss, fragmentation and the damaging impact of daily human activity on the land. Development sites can put pressure on the biodiversity of a particular habitat, …

Mixed news for reintroduced dormice This weekend saw the second check for the dormice that were reintroduced into a Warwickshire woodland this summer. The great news is 27 adults plus young were found at the site which is what is expected for this time in a reintroduction.  The bad news is that for the first …