people’s trust for endangered The species Monitor WINTER 2014 Planning with dormice in mind Taking a closer look at what happens when developers build on or near to dormouse sites

Dormice in tree crevices Dormice in literature Taking at look at genes Henry Andrews shares his Detlev Seibert began A few years ago a photos and experiences of collecting books about dormouse turned up in finding dormice nesting in dormice before the internet . Where was it from? tree crevices during his bat made searching easier - now Debbie Glass investigates surveys in Somerset. he has a vast collection. and reports. 03 Ian White reports on the 2014 dormouse release James Chubb hosted a woodland 04 management training day at The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon Detlev Seibert, from Germany, has 05 spent years collecting books that feature tales of hazel dormice 07 19 06 Henry Andrews shares his experiences of finding dormice in tree crevices Feeding dormice in her garden is a 06 nightly occurance for Caroline Dilke Rachel Bates lends a hand, training In this issue 07 up new monitors on the PTES nature reserve 12 08 A review of the Danish dormouse 06 conference Debbie Glass takes a closer look at 10 the genetics of our hazel dormice Rimvydas Juškaitis and Laima 12 Baltrūnaitė look at what dormice in Lithuania eat Alice Mouton asks how many 14 species of hazel dormice there are? Li Li Williams explains how dormice 16 are taken into account during building developments in Devon Stephen Carroll looks at how 18 planning impacts on our dormice have been hitching a ride 20 with Alison Looser Where do dormice hibernate, asks 20 John Prince? Welcome This year has been an exciting one at PTES. We’ve moved offices, have a new look and a Editorial team: Nida Al-Fulaij, Susan Sharafi, Zoe Roden new website. I really hope you like the new Illustrations: Hayley Cove style of The Dormouse Monitor. Thank you to Print: 4-Print everyone who’s kindly contributed to this Cover image: Ruud Foppen edition - we have lots of fascinating articles to The opinions expressed in this keep you entertained over the winter months. magazine are not necessarily those of People’s Trust for Endangered Species. Alice Mouton and Debbie Glass have both Contact us been studying the genetics of hazel dormice and asking how you define a species. There’s a The Dormouse Monitor review of this year’s dormouse release in Nottinghamshire. And we have a report of the 3 Cloisters House Danish dormouse conference. Thank you also to those of you who’ve been busy entering 8 Battersea Park Road London SW8 4BG your data online. We’re sorry the site was down for some time - but are pleased that it’s working smoothly again now. Please get in touch if you have an article that you’d like www.ptes.org [email protected] people’s printed in a future edition. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 020 7498 4533 trust for facebook.com/ptes.org endangered Nida Al-Fulaij & Susan Sharafi twitter.com/PTES species

2 The Dormouse Monitor Wildlife World 2 MAULDEN WOOD, BEDFORDSHIRE Images kindly provided by Nick Upton PTES

Maulden Woods, in Bedfordshire, was the 2001 release site. We have had exciting news from Sue Raven who co-ordinates the monitoring at the site - there is evidence that the dormouse population has spread to an adjacent woodland. 30 were released into this mixed Dormouse woodland site well over a decade ago. Sue will give a more detailed update in the next issue. release 2014 WINDMILL NAPS WOOD, WARWICKSHIRE

This summer Ian White and Nida Al-Fulaij escorted 44 Paul Manchester dormice to Nottinghamshire to be released into a woodland just a stone’s throw from the 2013 site, Treswell Wood.

It has been known for the past 30 years that from just trying to put a single population hazel dormice became extinct from at least back into an area, to putting at least two seven counties in England. For the past 20 populations back in close proximity. years PTES have been trying to put them Improvements in the local habitat linkage back. between the two sites are then encouraged Windmill Naps was the site chosen for a There have been a total of 19 dormouse and supported and it is hoped that this will double release carried out over two reintroductions to 12 counties in England. facilitate the two populations meeting at consecutive years in 2009 and 2010. A The first of these some point in the total of 46 animals were put into the took place in a 132 There have been a total future to create a wood. The box checks carried out in the hectare wood in more robust subsequent years revealed only a Cambridgeshire in of 19 reintroduction metapopulation. handful of animals - mostly male. But 1993. The dormice across 12 counties The 2015 then in autumn 2013 the team were are still there and dormouse delighted to find over 20 animals, appear to be doing well but there is no reintroduction is planned to take place in a including three litters. Great news. evidence yet that they have started to wood in Rutland in June. disperse from the woodland. BRADFIELD WOOD, The 2013 and 2014 reintroductions both SUFFOLK took place in well-managed woods in However the prize - if there’s a prize for Nottinghamshire that are owned by the the number of dormice at any release site local Wildlife Trust. The aim is to allow the - goes to Bradfield Wood in Suffolk. In dormouse populations to establish in the 2006 we released 38 animals into the woods and then a further joint project wood. In the first autumn exactly 38 between PTES and the Wildlife Trust will animals were found in the box check. The engage with the local landowners to numbers dropped a little over the course improve hedgerow linkage between the of two years and then in 2010 64 animals. woodlands. At the 2014 site, dormice have were found However they trumped their already bred and dispersed across it to areas own record and in 2011 the team must of suitable habitat. have taken hours to sex and weigh the As a result of a Natural England report in 164 dormice that they found. What 2013, the aim of the dormouse wonderful results! reintroduction programme has shifted away

The Dormouse Monitor 3 Dormice and donkeys James Chubb hosted a woodland management training day on behalf of PTES.

In October, here at The Donkey Sanctuary in months in which the scheme has been south Devon, the charity hosted a workshop running, this is still only the fifth run by PTES to help woodland owners and dormouse we have discovered in one of managers to look after woodlands for our boxes, and only the second this year. dormice; and they used our dormouse It was found in box 49 of 50 on the woodland here at the sanctuary as the morning of the workshop by Adrian afternoon field visit! Bayley and I. This massive stroke of luck James Chubb shows off The Donkey It was a thrilling day for me. The possibly explains my sleeplessness the Images Suzi Cretney & Nida Al-Fulaij workshop was led by national dormouse night before! The dormouse was a Sanctuary woodland expert, Dr Pat Morris, who happened to youngster from this year, male and be my tutor at Royal Holloway and whom weighing-in at a mere 8g. The 10 days of I had not seen in almost 15 years! very warm weather after finding him As ever, with people who have yet to be selectively thinning trees visit our fabulous farms here around In the 20 months the to allow more light through to the Sidmouth, there were quizzical eyebrows woodland floor. If you would be raised from some of the participants. scheme has been interested in helping with this practical However, after a brilliant lecture and running this is only the conservation initiative, or any of our thoroughly enjoyable site visit in which other wildlife projects being we met one of the sanctuary’s dormice in fifth dormouse we’ve undertaken on the Sanctuary, the flesh – everybody left very happy please get in touch. and with a new-found appreciation for found the fabulous environment in which we farm. I learnt an awful lot as well. The star of the show, aside from Dr would have helped him reach the Morris, was undoubtedly the minimum bodyweight for successful dormouse we found. In hibernation. If it had been a normal the 20 autumn he might not have been so lucky. Looking at our dormouse woodland with fresh eyes after the workshop, I noticed that there is very little understory and the majority of the trees are of a similar age – about 10-20 years old. My next task is to write a simple 10-year management plan for this area, with further input from PTES, specifically to improve certain aspects of the woodland for dormice. After all, “what is good for dormice is good for many other plants and animals.” This Adrian Bayley shows the group how to was something of a accurately sex a dormouse mantra for the day. So this winter has instantly been filled with many hours of practical woodland work for me and a team of volunteers. We will

4 The Dormouse Monitor The dormouser in winter Detlev Seibert, from Germany, tells us the story of his search for books and tales about the .

Here comes the wintertime. Every sensible very popular with dormouse is in a deep torpor within its den. children. And what about those of us – like myself - After my initial who care for these animals during the year? experience I started to They certainly will catch up on their sleep browse in antiquarian too but there may be enough time and bookshops in order to strength for other pleasures concerning find out-of-print books. these most beloved animals. My search was I decided to spend my time looking for time-consuming, but books that featured dormice, especially also a great and children’s books, hopefully with a lot of nice pleasurable adventure pictures. Preferably books about hazel because I found lots dormice but I decided not to be too picky and lots of books about Detlev Seibert - fat dormice or other relatives will do too. other things I was So I think that everyone in the English interested in. But only speaking world has heard of the mad on seldom occasions hatter’s tea party from “Alice in Wonderland” did I find a dormouse for sure. And many a German knows it too. book. losing my books down to the negligence of But are there other books? the airline transportation services I took When I began my search the world- them with me as cabin baggage. One day wide-web did not exist in its present form. I started to browse my wife and I queued up at customs at So I went to my favourite book-dealer in my antiquarian bookshops Heathrow airport and an inspector lifted up hometown and asked for the many volumes my extremely heavy bag and said “Ugh! of German-Books-In-Print to search for titles to find out-of-print books What’s inside this?” With an innocent shrug I relating to dormice. After spending some replied “Books.” The customs inspector time on it, I found this and that, but in So onto new places! As my wife and I are looked at his partner as if to ask for advice general the results were a little bit fans of English speaking countries the but his colleague shrugged his shoulders disappointing. Either nobody was writing natural places to take our holidays are Great and said in a very friendly manner “Books? about dormice or they were being listed as Britain and the USA. And so we took our Let him pass!” So I thanked them both very books about ordinary mice. This may be the search abroad. The fun we had in these new much, bade them farewell and off we went. case, because there are a huge amount of and second hand book shops was even That was a long time ago. books about mice in print, which seem to be greater and so was our harvest. In fear of Slowly, very slowly my collection started to grow. Then came the era of the internet and now every book is ‘just a click away’. In a way, some of the fun has gone forever. On the other hand I have found new booksellers I would never have found otherwise. And excitingly, I have discovered books in other languages that I am not familiar with, for example Russian and Japanese. Now I’d like to request a little help from you, the readers. Please can you help me to build up a complete collection of all children’s books about hazel dormice? Any help will be greatly appreciated. For a detailed list of the books I have collected up till now, please contact me at [email protected].

The Dormouse Monitor 5 Dormice in tree crevices Henry Andrews tells the story behind these charming photos.

My work involves cataloguing and come across a gibbet before, it’s a device This woodland is mostly upland sessile describing various features on trees that are used for public execution, like a gallows. and woodland, in what had been used by bats – such as crevices. I also This particular wood has some notorious an extensive area of intensively managed monitor some of these features to see how and sad tales associated with it! tan-bark coppice. Historically the wood was the environment inside changes over the So each month I check about sixteen also used for the production of charcoal. I year. For example the humidity might trees and photograph some of the believe the last time it was worked was in change in response to the level of sap rising. conditions. On this particular check, whilst I the 1950’s. Whilst I am out and about, I have come was recording the features, I suddenly across dormouse nests a few times. noticed that a couple of hazel dormice were Excitingly on a recent check I found the present. On reflection it would appear that animals themselves. the dormice were selecting features for their The woodland that is my study site is nest site that are relatively unused by hole part of the Quantocks SSSI and is known as nesting , but that are favoured by Dowsborough by the locals. The site has a several species of bat, such as barbastelle, chequered history – there was once a gibbet Bechstein’s, Natterers and brown long-eared at the end of the wood. In case you haven’t bats. Henry Andrews

Daily dormouse sightings in Dorset Dormice have been seen on feeders in the south west of England on quite a few occassions. Caroline Dilke sees them almost daily at the end of her garden in Dorset.

I am able to observe dormice daily as they even found them waiting for me in the go about their lives in the small wooded Sometimes I even found bushes at about 8pm. Once or twice one area in my garden. them waiting for me in has even climbed over me and taken a nut In the summer of 2013 I happened to from the basket on my knee! come across one, so I put a bird feeder up, the bushes I’ve been able to observe their and happily watched dormice, wood mice behaviour and even identify individuals. and field voles come and feed. This summer at least two females had Then I noticed that the dormice were litters. Interestingly the animals come to getting to the feeder by crossing a small feed individually, one after another, cherry branch over a path. So I abondoned though sometimes they interact with each the bird feeder and instead put out other as one leaves and another appears. hazelnuts (cut into four), a few scraps of Could there be some kind of hierarchy in

Image kimdly provided by Colin Varndell Colin by provided kimdly Image apple and some smears of peanut butter their feeding patterns? Is it the same directly onto the branches of the bush animals getting to feed each night and from which they’d come. The dormice access the best food resources? I look would come out immediately, sometimes I forward to seeing the again next year.

6 The Dormouse Monitor Monitoring dormice at Briddlesford Woods Rachel Bates shares her experiences of visiting the PTES-owned nature reserve, Briddlesford Woods, on the Isle of Wight, to carry out a dormouse box check.

In the world of ecology and conservation, (there are no yellow-necks on the island), the saying “it’s not what you know but who and while they were sadly not dormice, the you know” certainly applies. It wasn’t my wood mice provided a good opportunity to intention to become a dormouse monitor practice bagging the boxes and checking but when I moved to Kent a I was intrigued them, and handling and sexing small by the adorable little ginger whose . photo graced numerous publications, For those groups who aren’t lucky websites and magazines. So I enrolled on a enough to see dormice on the Saturday course at the Wildwood Trust in Kent to afternoon, groups are distributed fairly on learn more. I fell in love that day. the Sunday to give everyone a chance to Fast forward two years and I am now a handle or at least see one. Each dormouse licenced dormouse surveyor who carries out found is weighed and sexed, and their life dormouse surveys as part of ecology work stage recorded – although on occasion and who helps monitor a number of sites dormice escape in the blink of an eye! voluntarily. Through one of my trainers at Scotney Castle in Kent last year, I received an invitation to join a group of volunteers with I was intrigued by the the PTES to help check the 560-odd dormouse boxes at their Briddlesford adorable little mammal Reserve on the Isle of Wight. I have now been to the island four times I have seen and handled a lot of dormice to monitor dormice and love every minute this year but I never fail to be amazed by of my time there. The weekend usually pans them and grateful that I get to be involved out the same way – travel to the woods early with their conservation. Add in the lunch Saturday morning to meet up in time for and end-of-check breaks with copious lunch, and then spend Saturday afternoon amounts of tea and cake, good company Rachel Bates & Nida Al-Fulaij and Sunday morning checking the with interesting and friendly people, and dormouse boxes before heading back to the simply being out in the fresh air in ferry port mid-afternoon to begin our wonderful woodlands, and you can’t ask for various journeys home. a better weekend. As well as monitoring populations of the resident dormice, the weekend is a good training session for those working towards their dormouse licences or those who are similarly intrigued to see one for the first time. Splitting into four or five groups of three to four people, we head out into our allotted sections of the wood to begin the checks. As a team leader I sometimes feel a bit lazy making the trainees do the work, but how else are they going to learn! Trainees check a few boxes each before switching and when we get a box with potential nest material or signs of movement we bag it to check inside the box properly. During the October check this year we caught a high number of wood mice Dormousers in Denmark Nida Al-Fulaij reports on the gathering of dormouse enthusiasts at the ninth international conference.

8 The Dormouse Monitor It has been three years since over 100 people gathered in Saxony, Germany for the eighth international dormouse conference. I remember Pat Morris standing up on the first day to tell us what would happen throughout the conference, but also asking us to think about whether this would be the last one or if someone sitting in the room that day would be prepared to plan and host the next one. Pat suggested that if no one volunteered by the time this conference was over, then there was unlikely to be another one. And so we were all hugely relieved and grateful when Helle Vilhelmsen and Mogens Krog, from Denmark, stood up and said that they would muster the support back home in order for them to host the next one. Thomas Berg, the Senior Scientist Curator at Naturama Museum, took on the challenge of organising the conference. Naturama is an amazing, modern, sophisticated natural history museum located on the central island of Funen - or Fyn - in Denmark, in the coastal town of Svendborg. It was an ideal place for the conference - in between talks we could wander around the exhibits that dramatically display wildlife, complete with sound effects and atmospheric lighting. internationally and give some of the visitors There were scientists, conservationists, a chance to comment on how impressed monitors and general enthusiasts who they were. We featured on the local evening gathered for the four day event filled with news that weekend! talks, posters, films and field trips. It was a The conference was a success, not just great chance to learn about recent research because it was a perfect opportunity for results, catch up with old friends and - of those working on the same species to

course - make new ones. The talks spanned present findings, learn what’s happening in Sina Ehlers, Rimvydas Juškaits, Thomas Berg studies about the feeding ecology, marking other countries and generate new ideas. It protocols and genetics of at least six felt like a real chance to bring together dormouse species. Several people gave talks about monitoring dormice, the different It was a chance methodologies and modelling where they may disperse if habitat improvements are to bring together undertaken. There were interesting reports on captive breeding hazel dormice and the conservationists to work very first release in the UK. in partnership On the Sunday we were taken on a field trip was to visit a vast green bridge that had been built to ensure connectiviy for a conservationists to work in partnership and we’ll run special training courses tailored just dormice population in the nearby landscape. make a much bigger impact that you can for them. The bridge spans a dual carriageway, and have in just one country. These meetings And, on the final day, we agreed that we the vegetation on the top is growing nicely. have spawned smaller get-togethers across would all work towards a unified monitoring To date no dormice have been found on the the world. We had visitors from Germany protocol for hazel dormice in . Thank bridge but the habitat is already suitably and Denmark who work in the forestry you Thomas, Helle and the rest of your team scrubby. Unfortunately there was some local sector visit us after the last conference to see for such an enlightening conference, a opposition to the contruction of the bridge how we manage our woods in the UK. Next chance to visit your wonderful county, see and some negative publicity. Consequently, year we are looking forward to hosting fascinating places, make new acquaintances

Helle Hjorth Thomas and his team used our visit as an colleagues from Austria, Switzerland and and also to sample your delicious food. We opportunity to invite the press back to see Germany who are planning to come and now look forward to the next conference in how much interest the bridge had generated spend a few days with us, during which time Belgium, in three year’s time.

The Dormouse Monitor 9 Branching out Debbie Glass investigates the distribution of dormice by taking a closer look at their DNA.

The hazel dormouse is a treasured native reasonable to assume that it had species here in the UK. Their strong somehow travelled across the Irish Sea association with our well-loved literary past from a population in Britain. This stems from the sleepy dormouse’s starring scenario seemed likely, especially as hay role in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. It has been imported for equestrian also has a reputation as a peculiar Roman purposes from England to County delicacy (wrongly, I may add), which may Kildare, where some poor unsuspecting explain why it is that they routinely find dormouse may be sleeping. But how was themselves top of the nation’s favourite I to go about testing whether this theory list. Being experts at scurrying had any legs? fearlessly from branch to branch, their At the time of this discovery I was ability to roam freely within our woodland conducting research for a PhD at the canopy is a well-known fact. University of Brighton on the genetic that is experienced by nuclear genes Until recently, it was also considered structure of the hazel dormouse in the (known as recombination). As a to be a well-known fact that their UK. This had already given me some consequence, the differences seen westward range across northern Europe understanding of how genetic between different individual’s extended only as far as Wales. That was information can be used to make mitochondrial DNA can be attributed to until 2010, when a hazel dormouse was inferences about the population’s historical genetic mutations, whereby first discovered nesting in a garden in demographic history; in particular the individuals that share the same County Kildare, in Ireland. As the species population’s historical breeding and mutations are deduced to have a more had never been recorded in Ireland, its migratory behaviour. Just how far back in recent common ancestor than sudden presence drew much attention. time one wishes to consider for a study individuals with dissimilar mutations. Although the ranges of many species such as this dictates which type of Basically, close relatives are more likely to change naturally due to environmental genetic marker is required. I knew, share the same genetic variants than changes, more species are likely to end therefore, that the best approach to distant relatives. Another consequence of up in new locations through human identifying the country of origin of the this clonal inheritance is that all the mediated transport, intentionally and Kildare dormouse would be to study the mitochondrial genes share the same unintentionally. A well-known example is history and it is this, together with the that of the grey that is native to known rate of mutation, which allows north America, not Britain. Species that In 2010 a dormouse was geneticists to reconstruct patterns of accidentally get introduced into a new past migration. For the purposes of my area often do not survive, or make very discovered nesting in a investigation, a stretch of mitochondrial little impact on the recipient community. garden in County Kildare DNA found within a gene called Some, however, can be harmful for the cytochrome b was chosen. This gene recipient habitat and the native species in Ireland happens to be a popular choice amongst living within them, as is the case with the geneticists asking questions about grey squirrel, which has displaced our genetic variation that lay within the species phylogeography (the historical native red squirrel throughout much of mitochondrial DNA of the Kildare causes of current geographic its British range. Continuously dormouse. Mitochondria are tiny distribution). It has already been used by monitoring the behaviour and range of organelles found within animal and plant a group of international researchers species is therefore important for the cells that are responsible for making the studying the distribution of hazel effective management of communities. energy the cell needs for its everyday dormice on mainland Europea, headed Because the hazel dormouse is new to functions. Interestingly, the up by Alice Mouton in Belgium. These Ireland, it is clearly necessary to ask how mitochondria have their own genome authors had published their results, the dormouse came to be there in the that, unlike the majority of genes that are making it possible for a direct first place and where it travelled from. I found in the cell’s nucleus - where one comparison to be made between the Irish was also curious to know whether this half is inherited from each parent, the dormouse sequence and those of individual was a member of a much mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from mainland Europe, in addition to other larger, yet to be identified, population. In the mother. This means that the sequences I was obtaining from English cases such as this it is natural to look to mitochondrial genome is inherited intact and Welsh populations. one’s nearest neighbour and so it seemed and not subjected to the usual mixing PTES was kind enough to point me in

10 The Dormouse Monitor Ruud Foppen

between all the DNA sequences I was able to generate a family tree, known as a phylogeny. This tree groups sequences by inferring common ancestry, such that I was able to identify that the Irish dormouse shares a more recent common ancestry with the western Europe populations (including France, Belgium and Switzerland) than with hazel dormouse, in addition to their those of the British dormouse typically low population density, makes populations (which is grouped with the them notoriously difficult to observe in their native range. Maybe they have simply gone undetected in Ireland for all The Irish sequence did this time? The most reasonable not match any other hypothesis, however, is that the population of Irish dormice originated published ones from a region close to where the French dormice were sampled from that Central - North Europe populations, remains, as of yet, unsampled. the direction of people able to provide including Lithuania, Germany and So, although the precise location for hair samples from south west England Poland). This was extremely exciting as it the origin of the Irish dormouse remains and Wales. These samples, together with means the County Kildare dormouse is a mystery, the moral of this story seems many I collected from different locations highly unlikely to have originated from to be that in this world of modern around Sussex and the Isle of Wight, Britain, but much more likely to have transportation, the nearest geographic allowed me to test the theory that the arrived from France, where the difference neighbour is not always going to be dormouse originated from Britain. between the genes was minimal. It is responsible for species introductions. It After sequencing all my samples the always possible that dormice have been would seem that even the otherwise first notable finding was that the Irish established in Ireland for a long time - unassuming hazel dormouse, considered sequence did not match any of the other long enough to have genetically diverged to be sensitive to environmental published sequences. However, by from the French population. The shy, fluctuation, can find its way to distant measuring the degree of similarity arboreal and nocturnal nature of the and new environments and survive. Feeding on the edge Rimvydas Juškaitis and Laima Baltrūnaitė investigated the feeding habits of a hazel dormouse population in Lithuania, on the northern edge of their range. Although the hazel dormouse is considered cherry. We collected more than 230 faecal made up more than 60% of their intake, both a highly specialized and a threatened samples over the entire active season from whilst they were also feeding on Norway mammal across its range in Europe, it is April to October, visiting the 272 nest boxes spruce strobili, the vegetative parts of plants relatively widespread and common in every two weeks. We grouped all the food and . Lithuania. We wanted to investigate what remains in the droppings into five types: During June our results showed that this our hazel dormice are eating throughout animal origin, inflorescences (groups or was the month that dormice had the the year, and whether their diet varies to clusters of flowers), vegetative parts of highest proportion of insects in their diet. that of the population found in the UK. plants, soft mast (berries), and hard mast They also continued to feed on oak flowers, The reason for comparing these two (nuts, acorns). Not all soft mast and flower berries and we have evidence populations is that in England and Wales, remains could be identified to species level that they also feed on birds’ eggs whilst dormice are also on the very edge of their and so were attributed to other berries and occupying their nests. range and are also considered rare and inflorescence of other deciduous trees. From July, and throughout the summer, endangered. However in the UK the average Normally an entire single dropping soft mast dominated their diet, accounting population density is 2.2-3.5 dormice per contained the same type of food remains. for 100% of their food resources. Firstly they hectare. This is much higher than the But all droppings from one nest box were fed on honeysuckle berries and raspberries density found here in Lithuania, which is and when these were no longer available only one animal per hectare. So are our they moved onto glossy buckthorn berries. forests not providing the same food The first droppings to be As autumn began glossy buckthorn berries resources as those in the UK? Are our remained an important part of their diet – dormice eating food that doesn’t provide as found in April contained forming two-thirds – and the rest was made much energy? With the exception of pure black alder pollen up of hard mast. As there was almost no pine forests, hazel dormice are found hazel crop in this area during this study throughout Lithuania. But are they living in (2010), the dormice were feeding on oak what we might call sub-optimal habitats summed and the proportions of food items acorns. And finally, just before hibernation, that are unable to support high identified were expressed as the percentage the dormice fattened up on glossy populations? of dry faeces weight. buckthorn berries and acorns. Our study site is a 60ha mixed The first droppings to be found in early There are acknowledged disadvantages deciduous-coniferous woodland, dominated April contained black alder pollen. Later in to using faeces to study what animals have by and Norway spruce. It is in the the same month we found that been eating. Not all food are digested to the Šakiai district of south west Lithuania. There catkins were the preferred food of our same extent and therefore the remains left are a variety of other tree species including dormice. During the month of May, dormice in the faeces aren’t always a good indicator ash, black alder, aspen, pedunculate oak, had the most varied diet of any time of the proportion eaten. However, this hazel, glossy buckthorn, rowan and bird throughout the year. Willow and oak flowers non-invasive method still gives us a good

Norway spruce inflorescence also provides Willow inflorescence is an food in the springtime important part of the diet of dormice in Lithuania 12 The Dormouse Monitor qualitative evaluation of the dormouse diet. Comparing our results to the studies carried out in the UK, we found some similar results. Our dormice had about 30 potential food plant species to choose from but, of those, only seven were dominant in their diet. A similar number were also commonly fed on by the dormouse populations in England. However, only hazel and pedunculate oak featured in the diets of both dormice. Bramble and hawthorn, which feature prominently in the woodlands of the UK, (and therefore in the diets of those dormice) are species that are rare in Lithuania. Honeysuckle is important in both countries but the fly honeysuckle which we have here in Lithuania, is not very common in the UK. Norway spruce, glossy seeds that constitute potential food for range, studies have indicated that acorns buckthorn and wild raspberries are small mammals. Unfortunately they are also are an important part of their diet. important sources of food for the dormice the least reliable food resource in our study So it would appear that food resources populations in Lithuania, whereas these area. During a 14 year period, hazel crop was in Lithuania are good in terms of variety foods did not appear to feature in the diets absent for four years, was small in six of and quality. So what is the limiting factor of the UK dormice. These differences those years and only abundant for four that is keeping our dormouse population suggest that hazel dormice are highly density so low? When we increased the adaptable to local feeding conditions. density of our nest boxes at our study site, remains were dominant in the Norway spruce, the population increased fourfold, which diets of our dormice throughout June, but strongly suggests that maybe our woods overall they did not feature any higher in glossy buckthorn and are lacking secure nesting sites. This could Lithuania than in any other part of their wild raspberries are be true of the UK too – where old trees with range. This indicates that dormice are able natural cavities are lacking, nest boxes end to find sufficient quantities of suitable important food sources up providing a safe alternative. This is a vegetable food on the edge of their range. useful finding in terms of conservation Dormice have been seen to consume advice and how best to improve future birds’ eggs in captivity and our study years. Glossy buckthorn, on the other hand, management of our woodland. showed that the dormice in Lithuania also fruits almost every year, is very abundant, fed on birds’ eggs. They made up a small and is available from late July through to The full report is available in Mammalia percentage of their diet (2.5-3.2%) in the November. 2013; 77(2): 149–155. springtime. As in the UK, hazelnuts are Some studies in the UK suggest that important for our dormice as they have the hazel dormice do not feed on acorns, highest calorific value of any European tree however across the majority of the rest of its All images Rimvydas Juškaits

Oak inflorescence provides another springtimeof food source Honeysuckle berries appear glossy buckthorn fruits in the summer months Dormice will eat birds’ almost every year providing eggs if they come across a reliable food source them in nest boxes

The Dormouse Monitor 13 Who are you dormouse and where do you come from? Alice Mouton studied the genetics of dormice at the University of Liege in Belgium to see whether the European population is in fact just one species. Many ecological studies have been carried To this end, it is fundamental to analyse the hazel dormouse in Europe. To have a out on the hazel dormouse in Europe. the evolutionary history of the species in robust phylogeographic study, it is essential Red-listed in many European countries, this both a geographic dimension (spatial) and a to combine several molecular markers to species is the focus of several recent temporal scale. When investigating the confirm the results because the use of a conservation plans including the restoration history of a species, two approaches are single gene might reflect the history of the of habitat corridors, breeding programmes commonly used: the first one is based on gene and not the history of the species! and reintroductions. However, we are still far fossils and involves paleontological studies. In this study, we combined several from knowing the overall genetic structure The other method uses molecular biology to markers and our results highlight the of the species in Europe and its evolutionary look directly in the DNA of species and trace presence of two highly divergent lineages. history. This information is also essential to their past, considering the geographic know before developing a framework to distribution of individuals in light of the conserve the hazel dormouse. patterns associated with a gene genealogy. Our results highlight the The overall aim of my PhD thesis, now This discipline is called phylogeography. We presence of two highly completed, was therefore to fill in the gaps compare small regions of DNA of several about the phylogeographic and individuals from different parts of its range. divergent lineages evolutionary history of the hazel dormouse Then we can highlight their differentiation in Europe. I undertook my PhD at the and trace the genealogical relationships across Europe University of Liege in Belgium, under the among populations. I used the DNA supervision of Johan Michaux, who helped extracted from samples I received from The first one encompasses individuals from me to determine the origin and the many “dormousers” throughout Europe Belgium, The , France, evolution of this species, whose ancestor (tissue, hairs, cotton swabs, needles...) and Switzerland, Italy, western Germany and the appeared 17 million years ago. was able to cover the entire distribution of second one corresponds to individuals from Turkey, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria, Macedonia, eastern-central and northern Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, England, Sweden, Denmark, Slovakia and Czech Republic. The separation between the two lineages is estimated to have occurred around 6.5 million years ago (my), during the late Miocene. This period (around 23 - 6 my) was a time of major climatic changes, characterized by important climatic oscillations in Europe but also a period of important geological changes. We could hypothesize that the climatic changes, combined with the presence of new environmental conditions, favoured the separation of the ancestor of the hazel dormouse in two different populations. The Middle and Late Miocene were also important periods of speciation for other members of the Gliridae family. The differentiation ofEliomys melanurus (Asian ) and quercinus (garden dormouse) and the colonization of Africa by the ancestor of the

Andrew Shaw genus (African dormouse) took place during this period. In addition, the divergence time analyses show that the main lineages of the (Glis

14 The Dormouse Monitor Alison Looser

glis) and the garden dormouse (Eliomys new species? Or should it be based on We could then work together to share this quercinus) diverged respectively at the end morphological and ecological data? If so, precious information. As this is a protected of the Miocene and Early Pliocene (6-5 my). how? We think that taxonomic uncertainties animal in Europe, the announcement of a The presence of deeply divergent lineages are certainly best resolved using an new species could jeopardize the whole could correspond to distinct species, but conservation policy. Conversely, as the could also be due to strong intraspecific mammal is protected, the need to know in divergence. We attempted therefore to As this is a protected depth the status of the species is urgent, delineate evolutionary entities within this particularly to take adequate measures to highly genetically fragmented species, but animal in Europe, the ensure its conservation. We argue that the results revealed the complexity of announcement of a new these two genetic populations in Europe choosing and applying an appropriate should be at least considered as separate criterion to distinguish species or units of species could jeopordize entities in future conservation plans. conservation. The definition of taxonomic conservation policy and populations units are seriously compromised by the lack of a consensus of a definition of species and evolutionary integrative approach such as combining units. Should we consider only genetic tests data from phylogeography, morphology, to determine whether one is dealing with a population genetics, ecology and behaviour. Alice Mouton

The Dormouse Monitor 15 priority species. We undertake detailed surveys to find out whether protected Planning with species are present and how they are using the site. We then use this information to feed into the layout and design of the development so that key habitats are dormice in mind protected, and that mitigation and enhancement of habitats are incorporated into plans. Across the UK, developments are happening at an ever- The standard method we use to survey for dormice is nest tubes. The tubes are increasing pace. Inevitably there are impacts on our local attached to horizontal branches in wildlife. Li Li Williams explains how she advises builders hedgerows and woodlands, at 15-20m to plan with dormice in mind. intervals. Usually dormice will enter the tubes and construct their distinctive nests I am a Senior Ecologist for Devon Wildlife enough to be based solely in Devon, with its (although I’ve also found a torpid dormouse Consultants (www.devonwildlifeconsultants. wonderful landscapes, habitats and species. in a tube with no nest present). We tend to co.uk), a Wildlife Trust consultancy. We We have a wealth of wildlife, with rare install the tubes at the beginning of April undertake ecological services for projects species such as dormice and greater and leave them up until the end of October, ranging from private individuals who would horseshoe bats. checking them regularly throughout the like advice on managing their woodland or Our job is to identify which wildlife summer. converting their loft space, to large species are using a development site and In Devon, we have found it is almost residential and commercial developments. work out how best to protect them and inevitable that there will be dormice present All of our profits are gift-aided to Devon mitigate any impacts. Population growth on sites with any hedgerow, scrub or Wildlife Trust to support their work. and government housing targets mean that woodland habitat. This can include sites After gaining a degree in Environmental development is inevitable. However we have with poor quality hedgerows, isolated Sciences I worked for an international strict legislation protecting many of our rare fragments of woodland, and non-native engineering consultancy based in Exeter. species, in addition to national planning scrub such as buddleia. The exceptions are Here I gathered experience of projects and policy which states that developments areas such as Plymouth and Torbay, where protected species all over the country. should minimise impact on biodiversity and dormice generally seem to be absent or only However, in my current job, I am lucky promote the protection and recovery of present in very low numbers. However, Li Williams

16 The Dormouse Monitor development monitoring. Ideally, new and retained hedgerows should be protected by additional planting and a buffer of meadow grassland, and not incorporated as residential garden boundaries. This can be challenging to achieve as housing developers are keen to maximise the use of space on site, and unlit corridors between gardens and hedgerows are not acceptable from a human safety perspective. There are also practicalities in accessing the hedgerow to manage it properly. Often we target the most important hedgerow links to be included in public open space where they can be managed appropriately. Hedgebanks, particularly along lanes, may be heavily and regularly flailed and so there is often an opportunity to improve management measures and incorporate these measures in the landscaping plans for the site. Where required, the hedgerows are given additional protection from human disturbance and predation through

PTES buffer planting of thorny species such as blackthorn and rose. We have also had sensitive sites where a covenant restricting sometimes the location or habitat be obtained in order to legally carry out site ownership of has been successfully put connectivity of the site means that it takes a clearance, which equates to damage and in place! Although there is usually economic while for their presence to be detected – destruction of habitat and carries the risk of pressure to fully utilise the space on site, often there’s no evidence of dormice in the affecting individual dormice. Therefore, particularly for housing, we find that many tubes until the checks in October/ vegetation on site is cleared outside the of our clients have chosen us as consultants November, which we suspect may be main dormouse breeding and hibernation because they are willing to achieve a good juveniles dispersing in the autumn, and periods, with a licensed dormouse ecologist outcome for wildlife. illustrates that it can be beneficial to leave supervising and checking for nests If the development is part of a larger the tubes out for the entire survey season throughout the process. Any dormouse area to be developed by several different where possible. nests present are usually found during this housing developers and commercial Once dormice have been confirmed as process, often well-concealed; I have found companies, a wider masterplan needs to be present, specific mitigation can be designed numerous summer nests (which can be produced for the Natural England licence, and implemented, with the aim of challenging in dense bramble scrub!), but showing all of the development sites in the maintaining the local dormouse population. also several hibernation nests during site area, and how the new and retained habitats The priorities are to avoid isolating small clearance including in bramble, buddleia will link up through the wider landscape. areas of habitat, and to ensure that there is When we check the boxes we often find an overall net gain in suitable habitat, dormice in them whilst construction is still although mitigation planting will take If dormice are ongoing, sometimes surprisingly close to several years to mature. The best and the areas with the most disturbance! We will simplest form of mitigation is avoidance; present, mitigation is return to the site twice a year, usually for five locate the built areas on intensively-farmed years, to monitor dormouse presence in the monoculture crops, but retain and protect implemented boxes to get an indication of how successful the woodland and species-rich Devon the mitigation was. This information then hedgebanks. This will retain habitats and needs to be returned to Natural England as a green corridors through the site, particularly scrub and on road verges. condition of the licence. We have found for dormice, but also for other wildlife. This Mitigation is required to be robust and dormice using sites during construction and species-specific legal protection often helps achievable in order to obtain a Natural post-development, particularly where other species too, for example the creation England licence. This often involves efforts have been made to retain a coherent and enhancement of hedgerows for planting replacement habitat as soon as hedgerow network. However, it would be dormice will provide habitat for hundreds of possible, aiming to create and strengthen valuable to be able to access and compare other species once established. habitat corridors throughout and outside monitoring from other development Once the development has planning the site. We also put up dormouse boxes to licences, to find out what mitigation permission, a European Protected Species provide shelter whilst the new habitat is measures are most likely to be successful. Licence from Natural England will need to maturing, and to help with post-

The Dormouse Monitor 17 Houses versus mouses Stephen Carroll guides us through the complex issues of dealing with protected species in planning.

Hazel dormice receive the highest levels of For European Protected Species, such as (under 10) housing developments, to as legal protection in the UK planning system. dormice, current planning obligations are small as new field access through . Uncommon and elusive as dormice are, one set out in a key document ODPM Circular 06 Planning cases may contribute 20-25 might have thought the two rarely overlap. (2005) and Natural England (NE)’s standing new records to the county database But that was before nest tubes provided a advice (which refers back to Paul Chanin annually, though paradoxically this ready survey method, and dormice started and Michael Woods’ 2003 nest tube study coincides with the imminent loss of those to be found in areas which had previously report, and the trusty 2006 Dormouse sites to development. Even so, these add to been considered unlikely to be suitable for Conservation Handbook). Consultant knowledge and awareness for subsequent them. ecologists, planning inspectors, and, one cases. For example, dormice have been In Devon, nest tube surveys have hopes, local planning authorities, will be found in some unpromising places: revealed populations on the outskirts of very familiar with these documents. ODPM aggressively flailed hedges, mono-species towns, along road verges and edges of 06 is clear: presence of a European Protected rank scrub, fragmented road verges, tiny heathland, in commercial conifer crops, Species (EPS) is a material consideration for copses and stubs of hedge, dense laurel, isolated scrub remnants on brown field and the granting or refusal of planning rhododendron, Japanese knotweed...these quarry sites, golf courses, and in many rural permission, and surveys and mitigation have been some distance from large and semi-rural hedges - and not just the plans are mandatory where there is a semi-natural woodland, although often high quality ones. It seems dormice could ‘reasonable likelihood’ that dormice will be interconnected via networks of hedges and be present in just about any decent hedge, present and affected by a development. scrub. We now know not to discount the and there are many miles of those in Devon. What happens in practice? To find out presence of dormice in such habitats. One view is that dormice were always so more, I looked at over 100 randomly selected However a quick search suggested much of widely spread; we just didn’t know how to planning cases in Devon since 2005, the this data is not being forwarded to the find them before. But this has a number of year ODPM 06 was issued, where the relevant data holder, such as the county implications for the planning system, not presence of dormice was raised at the records centre, PTES or the NBN. least many more potential impacts in many While best practice protocols evolve as a more places. consequence of this work, planning Interestingly, the decisions still have to be made. Many, possibly most, planning departments do not dormouse habitat have in-house ecological staff, leaving most affected by planning officers the task of interpreting NE advice. Much now depends on this: NE will planning was hedges not generally comment on individual planning cases, except to refer to their standing advice, which was revised in preliminary survey stage. The background October 2013, to account for more recent to individual cases are too lengthy to findings, then diluted again in October 2014, describe here, so what follows are some when subsumed under the new Gov.uk general observations only, from a part of the website. country where dormice seem to be relatively With eight different districts, two urban widespread. unitaries, overarching County Council, and Interestingly, or unsurprisingly, two National Parks in Devon, planning dormouse habitat most affected by authorities and consultants sometimes planning applications was hedges (75%). differ in their approach to the need for a Relatively few applications entailed removal survey, assessment of impacts, and of woodland (n=4), though several were mitigation requirements. Where ‘reasonable considered to have indirect impacts by likelihood’ was inferred (n=71) and further being in close proximity or adjacent to targeted dormouse surveys carried out (41), woodland (17%). The remainder (8%) 24 surveys found dormice to be present, and involved mixed scrub habitats. Applications 17 were negative. This left 30 cases where ranged from large-scale housing surveys were not carried out, despite developments, commercial buildings or ecologists’ recommendation. Some of these infrastructure developments, to small-scale applications were refused, withdrawn, or

18 The Dormouse Monitor not otherwise progressed further, but others going to be increased disturbance and JUNCTION BOX RESCUE were consented, including at appeal, with public pressure on any retained or adjacent surveys deferred to post-consent planning habitats; calls to fell mature trees; unsuitable condition, contrary to ODPM06. Usually formal hedge maintenance; accesses these dated from 2005-6 in the early period through and replacement of hedge sections of ODPM06; latterly this rarely, though by fencing; increased lighting and the Alan Loweth occasionally, still happened. There was also threat of cat predation (for one site I was one refusal of detailed plans at appeal due told that a new house’s cat found and killed to inadequate protection for dormice 5 dormice within 2 months of moving in). (though the principle of development had Another problem appears to be the practical been accepted at earlier outline stage). difficulties of enforcing some planning In situations without a ‘reasonable obligations: there were a number of likelihood’ for habitat to support dormice, instances where planning conditions for but still some potential, the approach mitigation measures were ignored or only Alan Loweth, a volunteer widely adopted was to put in place partly followed. What are the chances that a with Folly Wildlife Rescue in pre-emptive safeguards and mitigation (35 dormouse population will survive, when Kent, reported an unusual cases). Commonly, similar measures were tens of houses are brought within 5-10m of a call out. BT engineers had recommended in situations with reasonable hedge, enclosing within the new opened the front panel of a junction box, likelihood but negative targeted follow-up development habitats which were and a nest of torpid dormice almost fell surveys, in recognition of the difficulties of previously separated by the width of a field to the ground. Luckily the engineer proving dormouse absence. or more? The answer remains unknown – caught the animals and a local woman On no occasion did the presence of and so does the knowledge of how to assisted by calling the rescue centre. dormice prevent development altogether. address this. Alan was able to return the nest of Instead, identified impacts and threats of Some mitigation techniques, such as juveniles to a nearby woodland. harm were subject to Natural England dormouse bridges, ropeways, and licensing, a legal requirement under which underpasses, are unproven or untested, yet NEW STYLE DORMOUSE safeguarding and mitigation measures are sometimes proposed, and licensed. BOXES must be put in place. The recognised Some cases highlight that development impacts included risks to individual animals cycles can extend over long periods. Where Henry Stanier during site clearance, permanent loss of one field has been developed, focus for hedge, scrub, or in rarer cases, woodland, future urban expansion falls on the next, and isolation and fragmentation of any and so on. The cumulative net impact of loss remaining habitat. (See Li-li’s article on the of green spaces, field by field, is completely preceding pages). Common mitigation unknown. We do not know what the methods included phased site vegetation long-term impacts on populations will be. clearance under ecologist’s supervision; They may take years or decades to become retention and enhancement of hedges; apparent. Some larger, multi-phase stand-off buffer distances between the planning applications consented eight Henry Stanier at the Bedfordshire, development and retained hedges / years ago are still under construction, or Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire woodland, and the minimising of gaps and houses are not yet sold or occupied. It still Wildlife Trust has developed a new nest breaches in connecting habitat. Additional remains to be seen whether the mitigation box design that excludes birds whilst still measures might include the regulation of measures for these will prove to be attracting dormice. For more information external lighting, installation of nest boxes successful or not. and to download the design plans please post-development, or off-site woodland In the meantime, where NE licences visit their website. planting and restoration. In one case, houses have been issued, follow-up monitoring of www.wildlifebcn.org/dormouse. built within a woodland were located on mitigation measures is a standard non-native plantation areas, whilst the requirement, so that information should be DORMICE EATING native woodland components were to be forthcoming. I would like to see a detailed Angela Blaen sent us a great photo of a restored and expanded. Less common systematic review of planning case histories dormice eating aphids from her roses. measures featured the production of an carried out, as has been done for other EPS. information leaflet for new householders, a Lack of information about the effectiveness, covenant banning new residents from or otherwise, of mitigation measures, and owning cats (!), and commuted sums for assessment of how these are being creation or improvement of off-site habitat, a implemented, or not, seem to me to be weak kind of proto-biodiversity off-setting. links in the chain. Planning developments What seems less well acknowledged or may, or may not, be a serious threat to understood are the indirect impacts. When dormouse populations, locally or nationally, former open countryside, green field sites but these impacts need to be properly with old hedges and mature trees, are understood if dormouse populations are to brought within a built settlement there is be properly protected.

The Dormouse Monitor 19 Finding a natural The curse of the visor spiders dormouse nest on They may be small but they elicit a large reaction - the Isle of Wight especially when you find these spiders hidden behind your After years of searching, we finally sun visor - as Alison Looser and Simone Bullion report. found a natural dormouse nest at our nature researve Briddlesford Woods, Last December, after collecting in the first visors appear to provide an acceptable this October. It was in an area of dense batch of nest tubes in Suffolk, we were substitute if no bark is present. coppice regrowth, almost sitting on a surprised to discover this large thick bramble stem. Please send in any lurking behind the sun visor of the car! A photos you have of natural nests that few days later another one appeared in the you have found. same location. Several spiders have now been found behind the visors of three different cars, all after having transported dormouse nest tubes. Visors are now checked carefully before travelling to avoid any unexpected surprises! Upon closer inspection it has been identified as the walnut orb-weaver spider, Nuctenea umbratica. This spider likes living Alison Looser in crevices, particularly under peeling bark. Nida Al-Fulaij It is morphologically adapted to this way of life as it can pull all its legs in and flatten itself. Dormouse nest tubes and car sun Where do dormice hibernate? John Prince - a member of the Common Dormouse Captive Breeder’s Group - wonders why we don’t know more about how and where dormice spend the winter months.

The last couple of winters have been So does it matter? Well I think it does. would like to offer Little Linford wood as a

extremely wet – potentially very bad news First of all we would better understand study site to help answer some of these Keith Allen for dormice. Whilst working in our wood, their requirements during this crucial time, questions. Little Linford, we were often ankle deep in and we would have a better idea of how mud and water. Twice this year we found a many animals survive hibernation. Also if badger sett that had been flooded. It was we knew where they hibernated we could difficult to see where dormice could avoid destroying suitable winter habitat. hibernate without being under water. Had We don’t know what damage we are doing they moved to drier parts of the wood? at present. In the past I have dismantled log piles This is one aspect of dormouse ecology that could have provided protection for we need to study further in the wild. In dormice over-wintering on the ground, but captivity they build a tightly woven nest no nests were found. I have also spent under the leaf litter. But this is because hours on my knees searching through they have no other choice – since we hazel stools, mossy banks and any area that haven’t found these nests in the wild, we looked suitable for winter nests. I’ve looked don’t know where they hibernate in similar in the base of pollarded trees, such as ash situations or if they go elsewhere. and field maple, the piles of brash on the Studies have shown that edible side of rides, but have found nothing. dormice hibernation in groups under Perhaps the dormice are hibernating in the ground. Do hazel dormice do the same? It’s dead hedges around the coppice coupes time we carried out a thorough study on but unfortunately these are too hard to how this species spends the winter and search. where it goes. If there’s a potential study I