Photo credit: Sam Rogers
The hazel dormouse is one of Britain’s rarest and perhaps most adorable mammals. Most people will never see one in the wild, due to their tiny stature and reclusive nature. Luckily for The Landmark Practice (TLP), Principal Ecologist Sam Rogers has been involved with the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP) for the last 12 years, which gave the ecology team a rare opportunity to survey dormice as part of the May check at our local ‘Leigh Woods’, which forms part of the Avon Gorge Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Avon Gorge Woodlands Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
The NDMP monitors the long-term population trend of dormice in the UK, through the surveillance of dormouse boxes installed in woodlands and hedgerows at specific sites.
Three were found in a state of torpor (a type of deep sleep, similar to hibernation) because nighttime temperatures were still far colder than average at this point in the year. Sadly, none were found in the more recent June check, but nests were found so we know that they are still around. We hope to see some more dormice in this month’s survey!