Dormice

After registering our orchard in the PTES (People's Trust for Endangered Species) scheme my ears pricked up this morning when I heard them on the radio talking about the 21st anniversary of their Dormouse monitoring programme. I'm not a Dormouse expert, but they are another species under acute long term threat from habitat loss. We have only one native species, the Hazel Dormouse, which I gather has been particularly vulnerable to hedgerow loss and the lack of managed woodland, particularly coppiced hazel. The PTES produce an excellent leaflet on creating the right sort of habitat for them, to which I'd commend you.This picture is from them too, courtesy of Rhys Owen-Roberts. Honestly, if something as cute as this is in trouble then we all are.