Endangered Dormice Found on Farm After Habitat Improvements
The presence of hazel dormice, a vulnerable species, at Babers Farm indicates a healthy and well-connected landscape, according to conservationists.
Endangered hazel dormice have been detected at Babers Farm in Dorset, a positive sign for the farm's ongoing efforts to improve biodiversity and natural habitats. The farm, managed under the stewardship of the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT), is implementing nature-friendly practices.
Hazel dormice are classified as vulnerable to extinction and are protected under European law. Their presence is considered an indicator of a healthy, interconnected environment.
Since initiating surveys in May, the CRT has installed 39 footprint tunnels along hedgerows and woodland edges. Dormouse footprints were subsequently identified in nine of these tunnels. Babers Farm is among the first CRT-managed properties to yield positive dormouse results following a fundraising appeal that supported surveys and habitat enhancement projects across the trust's 16 farms.
The survival of dormice is intrinsically linked to the availability of diverse woodland, species-rich hedgerows, and connected habitats that offer year-round food sources and shelter. Ruth Moss, a CRT conservation officer, expressed encouragement regarding the dormouse evidence found on the farm. "As the survey progresses, the results will build up a more complete picture of where, within the areas surveyed, dormice are present on the farm," Moss stated. "Having a current set of data helps us to manage these areas with dormice in mind."
The CRT collaborates with tenant farmers to enhance soil health, boost biodiversity, and strengthen the natural ecosystem while continuing food production. Similar footprint tunnels have also been deployed at Bere Marsh Farm in Dorset, as well as at Pierrepont Farm and Green Farm in Surrey. Dormice have also been found at Turnastone Court Farm and Awnells Farm in Herefordshire.
Surveys in Dorset are scheduled to continue through September, with those in Surrey extending into November. The CRT aims to gather more comprehensive data on dormouse populations across its farms by 2026, utilizing these findings to guide future habitat management strategies. The organization's supporters contributed £6,000 to fund these surveys and habitat improvement initiatives.
Historically, dormice have disappeared from 20 English counties since the 19th century. Factors contributing to their decline include the loss of traditional woodland management practices like coppicing, which fragments habitats and hinders population movement. Climate change has also impacted their hibernation patterns.