Dormouse

The common or hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) is no longer as widespread or abundant as its name suggests. Its distribution is now limited to the south and west of England, parts of Wales and a few outlying populations in the north of England.

Numbers of this native British mammal have declined significantly during the last century for the following inter-related reasons:

Dormouse Photograph by
John Robinson

destruction or fragmentation of important woodland habitats by people or domestic stock

cessation of traditional woodland management practices such as rotational coppicing

removal of hedgerows that contain important food sources and act as a means of dispersal between woodlands

the trend towards an unpredictable or unfavourable climate may reduce dormouse survival and breeding success.

Dormice in Wales
Our understanding of dormouse distribution in Wales has until recently been relatively poor. However, the VWT has recently completed a report on the distribution of dormice in Wales.

For more information please go to the publications page.