Northern stronghold’ for rare hazel dormice created in Lancashire

Northern stronghold’ for rare hazel dormice created in Lancashire - PTES

39 endangered hazel dormice are reintroduced into an ancient woodland in Lancashire

small brown mouse in a loosely sealed plastic bag being held for a photo to be taken by the phone also visible — Hazel Dormouse ready for release (© Peter Howarth)

This reintroduction follows the milestone reintroduction in 2021 that saw 30 hazel dormice (including the UK’s 1,000th) being released into a neighbouring woodland, creating a bigger and better-connected population in the Lancashire landscape

Unique partnership of 10 organisations aims to bring hazel dormice back from the brink

This week, a ‘northern stronghold’ of rare hazel dormice will be created in Lancashire. This builds on a previous reintroduction in the same area, in a ground-breaking attempt to create a bigger and better-connected population of hazel dormice in the north west of England.

Last year, 30 hazel dormice were released into a woodland in the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and now a further 39 will be reintroduced into a neighbouring woodland which has been carefully selected to support dormice. The reintroduction is led by wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), the National Trust, and delivered by the University of Cumbria’s Back On Our Map project, and partners.

Ian White, Dormouse & Training Officer for PTES explains: “Hazel dormice have declined by a staggering 51% since 2000 and are considered extinct in 17 English counties. The only way we can rebuild their populations is to continue managing known habitats correctly to ensure the survival of any existing populations and to carefully release healthy, captive bred dormice into well-managed woodlands. We hope this year’s dormice will thrive in their new home, and in time will meet the population we reintroduced last year to create Lancashire’s first self-sustaining metapopulation*.”

Jamie Armstrong, Ranger for the National Trust says: “Our woodlands have been carefully managed by National Trust rangers and volunteers for decades to ensure that they support a wide range of flora and fauna. This work has led to a diverse woodland structure which makes the chosen area the ideal habitat for dormice. This, coupled with its close proximity to the 2021 reintroduction site, will hopefully create a thriving population which will spread throughout neighbouring woodlands.”