Dormice freed from secret cages after vet check-up

Hazel dormice have been released into Leicestershire parkland after vets gave the miniature mammals a clean bill of health.

Since June, more than 20 dormice have been living in open cages in a secret location at Bradgate Park, near Newtown Linford.

On Wednesday, vets from London Zoo and Twycross Zoo assessed the health of the dormice before they were released into the wider park.

The release is part of a project to boost the species' declining numbers, said Bradgate Park Trust.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "With stethoscopes in hand, vets carefully assessed each dormouse for heart rate, muscle tone, and coat condition.

"All were found to be in great health, with the majority receiving a top score of three, excellent condition!"

The trust said following their release the dormice would continue to be fed while they adapt to their new environment.

Hazel dormice are a native rodent to the UK, the only one with a distinctive furry tail, and while they can live in many habitats, they favour woodlands and hedgerows.

But the dormouse population has dropped by 70% nationally since 2000, and the species is now extinct in 20 English counties, according to a 2023 report.

Ian White, dormouse and training officer at the People's Trust for Endangered Species, said dormice "hadn't been seen here for a very long time", and the next step would be litters in the woodlands of Bradgate Park and Swithland Woods in the autumn.

Mr White added that the reintroduction formed "part of a long-term effort" to boost numbers across Leicestershire.

He said: "It took 100 years for numbers to fall - restoring them will take just as long."

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