I have been involved with carrying out Dormouse nest box checks since they were released as part of a PTES programme into a woodland in Central Bedfordshire in 2001. Population has continued and breeding noted. Though numbers have been fairly small using the nest boxes over the years, the dormice have spread through the wood and on this occasion in June was checking an area that had been coppiced about 7 years ago. This lovely and lively female posed long enough for the photo opportunity and after being sexed and weighed was returned to the nest box which was out back in place.
Despite the warm day the second dormouse was in a state of torpor making it very easy to handle. Rather than disturb the dormouse too much it was just weighed and not sexed before being returned to the box. There are around two hundred nest boxes spread around the wood and during the winter period boxes were put into new areas to check for further spread of the population.
