After our exciting find of field evidence for Dormice earlier this month, we can now confidently say that these elusive creatures are living on "The Mound" in Winkleigh Biodiversity Area. As we come to the close of 2022, we take a closer look at this endearing, but increasingly rare animal. You can find our photos of the Dormouse nest and the chewed hazelnuts in the previous blogs.
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| Hazel Dormouse with Rowan Berries |
"Haselmaus (cropped)" by Danielle Schwarz is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
As a declining species, protected under British and European Law, we will need to be very careful how we manage the area in future to avoid disturbing them. We always welcome volunteers to get involved with our activities. The best way to contact us is via Facebook - Winkleigh Community Action or by contacts given in Distinctly Winkleigh.
People's Trust for Endangered Species says on their website:
"Our national monitoring shows the population of hazel dormice has declined by half since 2000, with the species hanging on mostly in southern parts of England and Wales. Climate change, as well as changes in woodland management, farming practices and loss of hedgerows, have all taken a heavy toll on their living space. Dormice are good indicators of animal and plant diversity, and dormouse-friendly habitats are also good for woodland birds, bats and butterflies"
So the presence of Dormice is a good sign for us that this wild space is good for other species. All our records for 2022 have been sent to Devon Biodiversity Records Centre and our Dormouse records have been entered onto the National Dormouse Database.
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