Five rare baby dormice have been found at a nature reserve near Sidmouth for the first time since surveying begun 17 years ago.
The tiny creatures were discovered during the monthly survey of dormouse boxes at Knapp Copse.
Dormice are vulnerable to extinction and are protected by law as a conservation priority. The East Devon District Council Countryside team manage woodland sites at Holyford Woods and Knapp Copse to promote dormouse habitat. The dormouse boxes are surveyed monthly between April and December, outside of hibernation periods.
The surveys are carried out by James Chubb, the team manager and a licenced handler, to monitor the presence of dormice in East Devon, and to understand more about their ecology and the effects of climate change.
James said: “Despite a national decline in numbers, ongoing surveying in East Devon has revealed an uplift in these adorable sleepy creatures at our Local Nature Reserves. We have also been able to identify how they are adapting to the challenge on climate change, with hibernation taking place later each year.”
The photo shows the parent dormice being weighed to monitor their health during last month's survey. No photos or measurements have been taken of the babies or their mother, to avoid disturbing them.
To discover more about the sites the Countryside team manage visit:
www.wildeastdevon.co.uk/nature-reserves/
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