Rare hazel dormice released into wild

DOZENS OF rare hazel dormice are being released into a wood in Warwickshire as part of efforts to boost the fortunes of the tiny British mammal.

A reintroduction of 20 breeding pairs or trios of dormice into an undisclosed woodland location south of Coventry is being led by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.

It follows a successful release last summer of dormice in the county and forms part of a wider landscape scheme, with the hope to one day connect the two populations to create a stronghold in Warwickshire for the mammals.

A new assessment of British mammals published this week has listed the hazel dormouse, immortalised as a sleepy guest at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in

Alice in Wonderland, as being at risk of extinction in Britain.

Hazel dormice have become extinct from 17 English counties since the 19th century and have seen populations fall by a third since 2000, according to a report published by PTES in 2016.

Loss of their natural woodland and hedgerow habitat and changes to traditional countryside practices such as coppicing trees are thought to be to blame for their declines.

Ian White, dormouse and training officer at PTES, said: “Our annual reintroduction programme has been running since 1993. Since then, over 900 dormice have been released into woodlands in 12 English counties.”