Endangered dormice get a helping hand

Conservationists from Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood have come to the rescue of a family of dormice that may not have survived their winter hibernation.

 

 

Dormice spend 75% of the year asleep © Kent Wildlife Trust

During Kent Wildlife Trust’s monthly survey of the Broad Oak woods (part of the Blean Complex) north of Canterbury - looking for dormice in nest boxes and nest tubes - wardens found a small undernourished family with two juveniles weighing just eight grams each. 

These highly rare and elusive creatures normally spend the last few weeks of autumn getting ready to do what they do best - sleep!  However, dormice need to weigh at least 15 grams before they hibernate in small nests at the base of ‘coppice stools’; any less than this, and their chances of survival are slim. 

Kent Wildlife Trust’s Broad Oak/Blean Project Officer, Wendy Murray, said: “After liaising with Wildwood it was decided it would be best to take the family into captivity for the winter months where the underweight juveniles will become a part of Wildwood’s captive breeding and release programme. 

“These youngsters will now go on to become the bloodline for future generations of dormice in other counties where they are not faring as well as in Kent.” 

 

© Kent Wildlife Trust : the largest active conservation charity in Kent, Reg Charity No: 239992

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