Searching for the endangered Dormouse in Sussex woodlands

We're back surveying woodlands for the endangered Hazel Dormouse, to find out if we can help in conservation efforts to protect this once commonplace mammal in Sussex. Sadly, Dormouse numbers have fallen by 51% since 2000 due to habitat loss and climate change.

‍After our hugely popular nibbled-nut survey to identify where Dormice might be active, Michael Blencowe, Lost Woods Senior Community Development Worker, has teamed up with Caitlin Laver from the Sussex Mammal Group. Together with local volunteers, we want to see if we can find evidence of Dormice by identifying their cheese-slice shaped footprints in dormouse tunnels. ‍Michael explains more:

In Autumn 2024, dozens of Lost Woods supporters were out searching the woodland floor for nuts. But not just any old nuts – we were intent on finding hazelnuts that had been nibbled by Dormice – an indication that this rare animal is living in the woodland.

Our volunteers were really keen to learn more about Dormouse Surveying, so this Spring we set up some more training sessions in partnership with neighbouring National Lottery Heritage Fund project Reinventing Borde Hill.

We headed out to a woodland where we found a Dormouse nibbled hazelnut in our 2024 survey, and some 20 volunteers gathered at Borde Hill to learn how to survey for the presence of Dormice using footprint tunnels.

Unique footprints

Caitlin Laver of the Sussex Mammal Group talked us through Dormouse ecology and explained that Dormouse feet leave distinctive triangular footprints (I like to think of them as cheese-slide shaped) to distinguish them from other woodland mice. The team then headed into the woods to install the tunnels which had been made for us by the Henfield Men in Sheds group.

The footprint tunnel survey technique involves fixing a tunnel to a branch or bramble bush. Some gloopy ink (made from charcoal and olive oil) is painted on each end and, if the Dormouse runs through the tunnel during the night, it will leave its footprints on the white card inside. Recent studies have shown that this is a very effective way of finding out if Dormice are present in a woodland.

These tunnels will now be monitored by volunteers and this session has inspired other woodland owners to run surveys in their woods.

Lost Woods volunteers (led by our Lost Woods Dormouse Champions Chris and Caitlin who are licensed Dormouse surveyors) installed Dormouse boxes into a woodland in our Sussex project area. The boxes (also constructed by the brilliant Henfield Men in Sheds group) are used as summer nests by Dormice.

We hope to learn more about the Dormouse population in this woodland and provide our Dormouse volunteers with experience in surveying these mammals.

We’ll let you know how we get on and thanks to everyone who's got involved! 

For more information, or if you'd like to run surveys in your woods, contact Michael.

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