Rare dormice rediscovered on the Isle of Wight after six-year absence - Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Ecologists confirm the return of one of Britain’s rarest mammals at Swanpond Copse Nature Reserve
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is celebrating the return of one of the UK’s most cherished and threatened woodland mammals, the hazel dormouse, to Swanpond Copse Nature Reserve on the Isle of Wight. This marks the first confirmed sighting of this iconic species since 2018.
Hazel dormice are a threatened species in the UK, having declined by 70 per cent since 1990 due to habitat loss, woodland fragmentation, and climate change.
During a recent dormouse survey, Trust ecologists were thrilled to discover a fresh dormouse nest – and inside, two sleepy dormice nestled together, with a third recorded later that day. With no confirmed dormice seen at the reserve for the past six years, this rediscovery is a major conservation milestone.
“I couldn't believe it when I opened up one of the boxes and saw a fresh nest,” said Carmen Perry, Principal Ecologist at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. “I then felt around the nest and found two dormice snuggled up inside. It was such a relief and a moment of real joy.”
Swanpond Copse Nature Reserve is a protected sanctuary site, managed for nature recovery and is not open to the public. Its secluded nature makes it ideal for sensitive wildlife like dormice, and the Trust is committed to maintaining it is as a quiet refuge where vulnerable species can thrive, undisturbed by human activity.
Posted On: 20/06/2025
More on: