Reintroductions are crucial to the long-term conservation of any endangered species and are vital to combatting the ongoing decline of hazel dormice. Since the first reintroduction in 1993, over 1,000 dormice (the majority of which have been bred by the CDCBG and Wildwood Trust) have been reintroduced at 24 different sites in 13 different counties across the UK, by PTES and partners.
Last year saw the first ever hazel dormice reintroduced into Lancashire, which are now thriving in the neighbouring woodland owned and managed by Natural England. It is hoped that in the future further reintroductions will take place in the Arnside and Silverdale AONB, in a bid to establish even more hazel dormice in this part of the north west.
Later this year there are plans to erect a bespoke dormouse bridge over the West Coast Main railway line, connecting the 2021 and 2022 reintroduction sites.
To find out more about PTES’ dormouse conservation work, visit www.ptes.org/dormice
*self-sustaining meta-population (a regional group of connected populations that will hopefully form a wider population in time)