A glimmer of good news for Britain's sleepy dormouse
Summary
Monitoring data suggests hazel dormouse numbers in England and Wales rose by almost 10% between 2020 and 2025, after falling sharply for decades. Researchers say warmer, drier springs and summers may have helped, but the estimate is uncertain and protecting woodland and hedgerow habitat remains important.Key Facts
- The hazel dormouse is the only dormouse species found in the UK.
- The species is now largely limited to southern England and parts of Wales.
- Native dormouse populations have disappeared from about 20 English counties.
- The National Dormouse Monitoring Programme has tracked sites in England and Wales since 1998.
- The monitoring data shows dormouse numbers have fallen by almost 60% since 2000, an average annual decline of 3.5%.
- The data estimates numbers increased by almost 10% from 2020 to 2025, but researchers say there is considerable uncertainty.
- Warmer summers may reduce the time dormice spend in torpor, or short periods of deep sleep, allowing more time for feeding and breeding.
- Researchers say more study is needed to assess climate change effects, including the impact of warmer, wetter winters.
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