|
Dormice and their habitats are protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 which means surveys are required to be carried out on your development if there are potential signs of dormice in surrounding area.
Ellendale Environmental ecologists are experienced and licensed to undertake habitat assessment as an aid to determining likely presence and to target further surveys and dormouse surveys using a range of methodologies as required
Our ecologists are also experienced in providing translocation and mitigation for hazel dormouse under European Protected Species Mitigation licences
|
Dormouse Survey
Habitat assessment is the first step in identify the likely presence / absence of dormouse. Dormouse survey methodology includes nest tubes and nest box checks and nut searches
Nest Tubes and boxes
Surveys for dormice are undertaken by placing out nest tubes or nest boxes and monitoring activity between March and October. Dormouse will use these to build their summer nests in as they replicate natural habitat such as tree hollows.
Nest tubes and boxes should be placed out in suitable habitat prior to the survey season and monitored for several months over the survey season. Best practice is to check the tubes / boxes several times between April and November.
Nut Surveys
One survey method is to search for the presence of hazelnuts opened by dormice. Dormice open these nuts by making a round hole, leaving characteristic tooth marks around the outside edge of the hole, with a smooth inner rim. The optimal period for nut searches is between September and December when nut shells and tooth marks are fresh.
Specialist surveys
Specialist surveys can be devised for a wide range of purposes. Out specialist ecologists are always happy to discuss your requirements further.
Why Choose Ellendale Environmental For a Dormouse Survey?
Ellendale Environmental ecologists are experienced and licensed to undertake habitat assessment as an aid to determining likely presence and to target further surveys and dormouse surveys using a range of methodologies as required
Our ecologists are also experienced in providing translocation and mitigation for hazel dormouse under European Protected Species Mitigation licences
Your development will be in safe hands with our experts at Ellendale Environmental who will work alongside you to ensure that your development is compliant with the law which will minimise disruption to your project. We are able to ensure this through extensive searches of the surrounding area being conducted for the presence of dormice. If dormice are present we work collectively to ensure the development process is not hindered whilst protecting the dormice through implementing appropriate mitigation.
Dormice and their habitats are protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (as amended), the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), and are a European Protected Species (EPS).
Legislation
It is an offence to:
deliberately capture, injure, kill, or disturb dormice;
intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to any structure/place used for shelter or protection; or
damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place.
A scientific ‘disturbance’ licence is required to carry out nest tube/box surveys due to the possibility of a dormouse being disturbed.
Dormice - Find Out More
Dormice Muscardinus avellanarius often known as the Hazel Dormouse are found in southern England and South Wales. The UK population is unknown but there has been a long term decline, even where dormice are considered present their distribution is patchy.
They are small and golden in colour with a furry tail and large black eyes. They are nocturnal mammals that usually hibernate between October and March depending on weather. Dormice do not normally travel far from their nests and have a varied diet of fruit, nuts, pollen and insects.
Dormice are arboreal and generally require good connectivity of the tree or shrub layer to enable dispersal. They spend almost all of their time in the branches of trees during the summer, although they are known to cross open spaces on the ground.