Filming Dormice

Last week we welcomed a film crew to do a little bit of filming with some of our animals. I can't say too much at the moment, but they are working on a piece that will be aired at the end of this year at prime time on a major channel. All exciting stuff!

As and when we can let more information out, I will of course let you know, and reminders nearer the time. But for now, one of the things on the list to film were hibernating dormice. 

We are very successful with our breeding dormice, and have three litters lined up for a release later this year, but what some of you may not realise is we also have some "educational" dormice. These are dormice that can not be released for one reason or another, as deemed by the studbook, and so need a permanent home.

It is these dormice which we can use for filming. We very rarely allow this, as we want to keep any disturbance to them to a minimum, but have on occasion gone ahead. So for this little chap above, we delicately took him out of his nest box whilst he was hibernating, placed him in a set for a bit of filming, and then placed him back in is nest box again... none the wiser.

He was a star, even though he didn't know it, and we will make sure he gets a few more hazel nuts when he awakes later in the Spring!