New Hazel Dormice

I have just got back from a trip to Wildwood Trust, near Herne Bay, to drop off a kestrel and collect two new pairs of dormice.

As most of you will already be aware, we are part of the national breeding programme which keeps, breeds and re-introduces dormice back in to the wild. After some very successful years, we have had a quiet spell for the past two years... our pairs have got old... so time to freshen up the group, and bring some new ones in.

These new dormice will be housed in our breeding enclosures opposite our badgers and snakes. To be completely honest, the chances of you seeing them are slim... very slim! They are very nocturnal, and hibernate for half the year! But then this is why we have our lovely nocturnal house.

In our nocturnal house we have swapped the day and night around, meaning these highly nocturnal animals such as our dormice, hedgehogs and bats, can be seen out during the day. So, if you really want to see a hazel dormouse, that will be the best place to look.