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MC1911 Dormousetranslocation-1 MAMMAL COMMUNICATIONS Volume 6 ISSN 2056-872X (online) Patrick James © Nick C. Downs, Mike Dean, David Wells, and Alisha Wouters Displacing and translocating hazel dormice Mammal Communications Displacing and translocating hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) as road development mitigation measures. Nick C. Downs1,2*, Mike Dean3, David Wells4, and Alisha Wouters5 ABSTRACT Road development can remove valuable wildlife habitat and reduce habitat connectivity. Where such works impact on European Protected Species in the UK, such as hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius), mitigation is required to satisfy the relevant Statutory Nature Conservation Organisation licensing process. The study described here concerns the removal of dense road verge landscape planting occupied by hazel dormice prior to the construction of a new road junction and slip roads on a dual carriageway in Wales. Pre-construction monitoring started in May 2007, followed by vegetation clearance between August and September. Dormice were displaced into retained habitat through maximum daily vegetation clearance of 30 m lengths (varying widths), in parallel with translocation. This process resulted in the discovery of 48 natural (i.e. not within a nest box) dormouse nests, and the capture of 29 dormice for translocation; 90% were successfully released. Whilst within soft-release cages prior to release, dormice preferred a diet of blackberries (Rubus fruticosus agg.) and freshly picked hazel (Corylus avellana) nuts, prompting a recommendation for early Autumn (mid-August – September) as the ideal translocation season. Other recommendations for displacing and translocating dormice are provided, albeit limited in the absence of comprehensive pre-construction, and post-translocation monitoring. INTRODUCTION The hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) is a Dormouse development licences, permitting an action European Protected Species, listed within Annex IV of the that would otherwise be unlawful (Bright et al., 2006), can European Habitats Directive (1992), and the be obtained from the relevant Statutory Nature Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 Conservation Organisation (either Natural England or (as amended), which applies to England and Wales. This Natural Resources Wales). Such protections are comprises protection from deliberate killing or injury and, increasingly necessary: the UK National Dormouse in certain specific scenarios, from deliberate disturbance. Monitoring Program has reported a 51% decline in the Dormouse breeding or resting sites (currently undefined British population between 2000 and 2018 (Wembridge et in case law) are protected from damage or destruction. al., 2019). The current British population is estimated to 1Arcadis, Cymru House, St Mellons Business Park, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF3 0EY, UK. 2University of Bristol, School of Biological Sciences, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UG. 3MD Ecology Limited, 10 St Peter’s Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1RG. 4Collins Environmental Consultancy, Epsilon Dome, Cleeve Mill Business Park, Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1EP. 5Link Ecology Ltd. Eastleigh, Lake Lane, Frampton on Severn, Gloucestershire, GL2 7HG *Corresponding author, Nick Downs: [email protected]. Key words: Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius, translocation, displacement, road verge. Full citation: Downs, N.C., Dean, M., Wells, D., & Wouters, A. (2020) Displacing and translocating hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) as road development mitigation measures. Mammal Communications 6: 1-9, London 2 Displacing and translocating hazel dormice Mammal Communications be approximately 930,000 (Mathews et al., 2018). dormouse mitigation measures, carried out under a There is no specific optimum season for vegetation development licence from the Welsh Assembly clearance in habitat occupied by dormice. Bright et al. Government for a construction project. The project (2006) recommend either winter clearance with ground required the construction of a new junction and four slip works delayed until the following May (a two-stage roads, on an existing dual carriageway. Twelve mostly approach) or summer clearance of small areas. In both long lengths (mean length: 176.6 m, range 34.8 m - cases there should be sufficient suitable retained habitat 417.4 m) of dense landscape planting on the verges of available to persuade dormice to move into. Neither the existing road were proposed to be cleared to allow the timing completely removes the risk of dormouse mortality. slip roads to be constructed (Figure 1). Detailed design Works in late autumn (as described by Trout et al., 2018) allowed the vegetation to be retained in four of the 12 may avoid both the main hibernation and breeding areas (Figure 1: areas 1A, 2C, 2D and 2E), leaving eight periods, reducing the risk of mortality, but the available areas requiring vegetation clearance. Additionally, the window to achieve this is small and is weather installation of CCTV and road signs along the same dual dependent. If dormice are unwilling/unable to move, carriageway required the removal of eight small habitat 2 and/or there is not sufficient retained habitat for dormice areas (each approximately 150 m ). This habitat was to move into, translocation becomes a consideration. This occupied by dormice and comprised semi-mature native established technique (Hodder & Bullock, 1997) has species-rich closed canopy tree and shrub landscape previously been discussed for hazel dormice (Bright & planting (20-30 years old) and areas of dense bramble Morris, 1994; Naim et al, 2014), and is also notable (Rubus fruticosus agg.). Vegetation clearance regarding red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) (Poole & commenced in summer (1st August 2007) and continued Lawton, 2009) and great crested newts (Triturus cristatus) until early October 2007, in order to ensure that all (Edgar et al., 2005). vegetation could be removed before the hibernation season. This study was undertaken by evaluating the success of MATERIALS AND METHODS had sufficient suitable retained habitat directly linked to Monitoring within vegetation the clearance areas. ‘Sufficient’ in this context was clearance areas defined as capable of supporting a viable dormouse 109 dormouse nest boxes were installed within clearance population, based on criteria discussed by Bright et al. areas, and adjacent retained habitat (Figure 1) in April (2006). This meant that any dormice found in small areas and early-May 2007. These were checked at least surrounded by open ground, such as area 3A (Figure 1), monthly, and more frequently (sometimes daily) as were translocated. Opportunities were taken to study clearance progressed within each area. The boxes were dormouse movements associated with such isolated used to maximise dormouse capture prior to clearance areas, where possible. Dormice were captured from whilst also increasing the dormouse carrying capacity of boxes and translocated from clearance areas which had adjacent habitat (Juškaitis, 2005). Dormice can be more insufficient linked retained habitat to attempt easily captured from boxes than tubes (Lang et al., 2018). displacement, and from small retained areas effectively isolated by the works (and thus rendered too small to Selection of receptor sites support a viable dormouse population). Dormice were Four receptor sites (Figure 2) were identified as most also captured and translocated during displacement, suitable for dormouse translocation, based on habitat where occupied nests were present. Some dormice may quality, area, and connectivity, as well as donor site have moved away without being detected. proximity (between 0.2-2.1 km away) and existing Displacement methods dormouse records. The receptor sites comprised three areas of mature landscape planting (all approx. 0.8 ha A maximum 30 m length of vegetation (with varying within larger areas of connected habitat) and one area of widths: 9.9 m - 49.7 m) was cleared in each area in any ancient semi-natural woodland (10 ha), all of which had one day, progressing towards the retained habitat. habitat linked to the vegetation clearance areas. In Additional dormouse boxes were erected in adjacent addition to the 109 dormouse boxes, 193 boxes were retained areas of habitat, as each area was cleared. The erected within these receptor sites (D1: 10, D2: 20, D4: boxes were monitored from May 2007 until either an area 10, Wood A: 143). The boxes are likely to have increased was cleared of vegetation, or until September if there was dormouse population carrying capacity of the receptor a risk that dormice were still present in small areas of sites (Juškaitis, 2005, 2008), and monitoring them habitat. Vegetation was cleared slowly and methodically indicated the most suitable locations for translocated using hand tools, preceded by a finger-tip check for the dormice. Monitoring commenced in May 2007 and presence of dormice or nests by an ecologist. Vegetation continued until September 2007. Either two or three soft was always cleared in a single direction, with links to release cages based on the design suggested by Bright retained habitat maintained until the entire area had been et al. (2006) were constructed at each receptor site prior cleared. In areas of dense vegetation such as bramble to the translocation of any dormice. scrub, where it was particularly difficult to locate nests, a brushcutter was used alongside the finger-tip search. Any Selection of approach dormouse nests found were examined for the presence of Displacement
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