| Video footage taken this week shows our family of dormice fully settled into their nest box just one month after the birth of new baby dormice at Wildwood. The hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) was once widespread across England and Wales. But with the loss of woodland and hedgerows populations have rapidly declined. Wildwood Trust is the UK’s leading charity in captive breeding dormice for release into the wild to help to combat this decline, and have bred hundreds of dormice over the last 15 years. The Wildwood team recently celebrated reintroducing 18 of our dormice, nearly half the total number released, to a secret woodland site in Warwickshire as part of a continuing project to help protect the species from extinction. Working alongside other conservation organisations, including the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Paignton Zoo, Natural England and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, this recent release is the latest in the scheme which aims to increase dormice numbers in areas of the UK where the species is in decline. It is hoped that this latest release group will eventually link up with another population released last year in a nearby area. Each year Wildwood supplies captive-bred dormice for the release programme and, as studbook holder for the species, selects and pairs up the animals for release, thus ensuring the strongest genetic mix for future generations. To ensure the dormice are successful, the woodland is carefully managed by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to provide suitable food and shelter, whilst the animals are introduced via a "soft-release" system. Initially they are housed in cages with adequate food and water before the cage door is opened after a few days. The cage is topped up with supplies allowing the dormice to come and go at will without having to fend for themselves immediately after release. This supports the dormice as they become integrated into the area and gives them the best possible start in their new woodland home. Hazel Ryan, Wildwood's Senior Conservation Officer & leading dormouse expert said "Our babies are looking very healthy and will form a major part of next year’s reintroduction, helping prevent further decline or even extinction. We hope that with continued releases and careful habitat management we can help to expand their range and bring hazel dormice back to areas where they once thrived." | 
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