Dormice get health check before release into the wild
Ten tiny rare hazel dormice have been given the all-clear by wildlife vets ahead of their release into the wild next month.
Each 20-gram dormouse had a 10-minute appointment at ZSL’s Institute of Zoology on London during which their heart and lungs were checked with a stethoscope, and their eyes, ears, nose, teeth and fur examined. They were also microchipped and x-rayed to check their bones and overall health.
Hazel dormice populations have decreased by 70 per cent nationally since 2000, but ongoing efforts to restore their populations have resulted in more than 1,000 being reintroduced into 25 woodland habitats in 13 English counties since 1993.
The health checks are part of efforts to ensure that animals being released to the wild are fit and healthy enough, and that there is no risk of them passing diseases onto local wildlife.
The dormice will be heading to a secret woodland location this summer as part of the annual reintroduction programme led by People’s Trust for Endangered Species – bringing together ZSL, Natural England, Paignton Zoo, the Common Dormouse Captive Breeders Group, and Forestry England and The Greensand Trust – to rebuild populations of this native species.