Dormice released into Bradgate Park after vet check-up
A spokesperson for the trust said: "With stethoscopes in hand, vets carefully assessed each dormouse for heart rate, muscle tone, and coat condition."All were found to be in great health, with the majority receiving a top score of three, excellent condition!"
The trust said following their release the dormice would continue to be fed while they adapt to their new environment.Hazel dormice are a native rodent to the UK, the only one with a distinctive furry tail, and while they can live in many habitats, they favour woodlands and hedgerows.But the dormouse population has dropped by 70% nationally since 2000, and the species is now extinct in 20 English counties, according to a 2023 report.
Ian White, dormouse and training officer at the People's Trust for Endangered Species, said dormice "hadn't been seen here for a very long time", and the next step would be litters in the woodlands of Bradgate Park and Swithland Woods in the autumn.Mr White added that the reintroduction formed "part of a long-term effort" to boost numbers across Leicestershire.He said: "It took 100 years for numbers to fall - restoring them will take just as long."
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