Baby Dormouse Update

Dormice in Danger, But New Babies Bring a New Hope…

Wildwood Trust celebrated the birth of more dormice this July after a successful reintroduction to a secret site in Warwickshire. Continued monitoring of their nest box has shown how quickly the babies have grown within just one month and that all are healthy. Recent reports show the dormouse to be one of Britain’s rarest mammals and could soon be threatened with extinction as numbers have plummeted by 70% in the last 20 years.

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."

Video - Wildwood Baby Dormouse Footage

NOTES TO EDITORS: Wildwood Trust have captured unique video and images for broadcast which are available on request & will happily assist members of the press to obtain footage if they wish to visit.   CONTACT Wildwood Trust: +44(0)1227 712 111 Peter Smith: peter@wildwoodtrust.org or 07986 828229 Dan Farrow: dan.farrow@wildwoodtrust.org or 01227 209617   Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Nr Canterbury, Kent CT6 7LQ Registered Charity No. 1093702   FOLLOW US Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewildwoodtrust Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WildwoodTrust Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thewildwoodtrust   ABOUT WILDWOOD Wildwood Trust opened in 1999 as a centre of excellence for the conservation of British wildlife, and was established as a registered charity in 2002. Wildwood is Kent's best British wildlife park. Home to over 200 native animals, past and present and set in 40 acres of beautiful ancient woodland where visitors can see bears, wolves, bison, deer, owls, foxes, red squirrels, wild boar, lynx, wild horses, badgers and beavers plus many more. As one of the leading British animal conservation charities in the UK, Wildwood Trust is dedicated to saving Britain's most threatened wildlife. Wildwood Trust have taken part in many ground-breaking conservation programmes to date, which include, saving the water vole, using wild horses to help restore Kent's most precious nature reserves, bringing the extinct European beaver back to Britain and returning the hazel dormouse & red squirrel to areas where they have been made extinct.

Wildwood Trust Herne Common Herne Bay Kent CT6 7LQ Registered Charity No: 1093702 Wildwood Kent: 01227 712 111 Wildwood Devon: 01404 822 188 info@wildwoodtrust.org

Baby Dormouse Update

Dormice in Danger, But New Babies Bring a New Hope…

Wildwood Trust celebrated the birth of more dormice this July after a successful reintroduction to a secret site in Warwickshire. Continued monitoring of their nest box has shown how quickly the babies have grown within just one month and that all are healthy. Recent reports show the dormouse to be one of Britain’s rarest mammals and could soon be threatened with extinction as numbers have plummeted by 70% in the last 20 years.

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."

Video - Wildwood Baby Dormouse Footage

NOTES TO EDITORS: Wildwood Trust have captured unique video and images for broadcast which are available on request & will happily assist members of the press to obtain footage if they wish to visit.   CONTACT Wildwood Trust: +44(0)1227 712 111 Peter Smith: peter@wildwoodtrust.org or 07986 828229 Dan Farrow: dan.farrow@wildwoodtrust.org or 01227 209617   Wildwood Trust, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Nr Canterbury, Kent CT6 7LQ Registered Charity No. 1093702   FOLLOW US Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewildwoodtrust Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WildwoodTrust Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thewildwoodtrust   ABOUT WILDWOOD Wildwood Trust opened in 1999 as a centre of excellence for the conservation of British wildlife, and was established as a registered charity in 2002. Wildwood is Kent's best British wildlife park. Home to over 200 native animals, past and present and set in 40 acres of beautiful ancient woodland where visitors can see bears, wolves, bison, deer, owls, foxes, red squirrels, wild boar, lynx, wild horses, badgers and beavers plus many more. As one of the leading British animal conservation charities in the UK, Wildwood Trust is dedicated to saving Britain's most threatened wildlife. Wildwood Trust have taken part in many ground-breaking conservation programmes to date, which include, saving the water vole, using wild horses to help restore Kent's most precious nature reserves, bringing the extinct European beaver back to Britain and returning the hazel dormouse & red squirrel to areas where they have been made extinct.

Wildwood Trust Herne Common Herne Bay Kent CT6 7LQ Registered Charity No: 1093702 Wildwood Kent: 01227 712 111 Wildwood Devon: 01404 822 188 info@wildwoodtrust.org

Sir Roger Goes Wild at Wildwood.

Local MP Sir Roger Gale goes wild at Wildwood.

Sir Roger Gale MP for North Thanet has lent a helping hand today feeding the rescued bears and Lynx at Wildwood Trust. Sir Roger has been a helper at Wildwood for over 20 years giving advice on setting up the charity and even emergency help at the Brambles wildlife park which Wildwood grew out of.
Sir Roger came to Wildwood this week to learn more about our charitable aims of rewilding Britain and our forthcoming appeal to build a ground breaking residential rewilding education centre.

Link to photo of Sir Roger Feeding the Bears https://wildwoodtrust.org/sites/default/files/civicrm/persist/contribute/images/Sir%20Roger%20and%20bear.jpg

Sir Roger is a well know animal rights campaigner and has been a good friend to Wildwood Trust since its earliest beginnings. Sir Roger's highlight was feeding the rescued bears and he remarked on the amazing transformation from the “world’s saddest bears” bred to be hunted to the happy bears thriving in the UK’s leading bear rescue facility. The Wildwood bear rescue facility comprises over 1.5 acres of woodland with a huge pool, waterfall and a massive rope bridge that allows visitors to gaze upon them at play. The facility was built from donations to the Wildwood Trust by local members who helped raise £140,000 for their rescue.

Sir Roger was also keen to learn of the issues behind rewilding and the Trust’s plans to assist in the reintroduction of Lynx back to the UK. Many people fear lynx but wildlife expert and Trust boss Peter Smith assured Sir Roger that there was no danger to humans as lynx have never attacked any people, including children, in the wild and their impact on sheep farming would be very small, but the benefits in rewilding are huge. Rewilded uplands would not just be great for wildlife but the benefits to people will be huge as well; helping to reduce flooding, cleaning our water and helping combat climate change.

Link to photo of Sire Roger with a Lynx: https://wildwoodtrust.org/sites/default/files/civicrm/persist/contribute/images/Sir%20Roger%20_%20lynx1.JPG

Visitors can go on their own rewilding adventure at Wildwood Trust this Summer, the adventure starts here: www.wildwoodtrust.org

 

***************ENDS*******************

email for original photos & Video of Sir Roger feeding the bears https://youtu.be/qLFaes-V2RA

For more information contact Peter Smith 01227 712111 or email: peter @Wildwoodtrust.org

 

 

 

Our mailing address is: Wildwood Trust Herne Common Herne Bay Kent CT6 7LQ

 

Sir Roger Goes Wild at Wildwood.

Local MP Sir Roger Gale goes wild at Wildwood.

Sir Roger Gale MP for North Thanet has lent a helping hand today feeding the rescued bears and Lynx at Wildwood Trust. Sir Roger has been a helper at Wildwood for over 20 years giving advice on setting up the charity and even emergency help at the Brambles wildlife park which Wildwood grew out of.
Sir Roger came to Wildwood this week to learn more about our charitable aims of rewilding Britain and our forthcoming appeal to build a ground breaking residential rewilding education centre.

Link to photo of Sir Roger Feeding the Bears https://wildwoodtrust.org/sites/default/files/civicrm/persist/contribute/images/Sir%20Roger%20and%20bear.jpg

Sir Roger is a well know animal rights campaigner and has been a good friend to Wildwood Trust since its earliest beginnings. Sir Roger's highlight was feeding the rescued bears and he remarked on the amazing transformation from the “world’s saddest bears” bred to be hunted to the happy bears thriving in the UK’s leading bear rescue facility. The Wildwood bear rescue facility comprises over 1.5 acres of woodland with a huge pool, waterfall and a massive rope bridge that allows visitors to gaze upon them at play. The facility was built from donations to the Wildwood Trust by local members who helped raise £140,000 for their rescue.

Sir Roger was also keen to learn of the issues behind rewilding and the Trust’s plans to assist in the reintroduction of Lynx back to the UK. Many people fear lynx but wildlife expert and Trust boss Peter Smith assured Sir Roger that there was no danger to humans as lynx have never attacked any people, including children, in the wild and their impact on sheep farming would be very small, but the benefits in rewilding are huge. Rewilded uplands would not just be great for wildlife but the benefits to people will be huge as well; helping to reduce flooding, cleaning our water and helping combat climate change.

Link to photo of Sire Roger with a Lynx: https://wildwoodtrust.org/sites/default/files/civicrm/persist/contribute/images/Sir%20Roger%20_%20lynx1.JPG

Visitors can go on their own rewilding adventure at Wildwood Trust this Summer, the adventure starts here: www.wildwoodtrust.org

 

***************ENDS*******************

email for original photos & Video of Sir Roger feeding the bears https://youtu.be/qLFaes-V2RA

For more information contact Peter Smith 01227 712111 or email: peter @Wildwoodtrust.org

 

 

 

Our mailing address is: Wildwood Trust Herne Common Herne Bay Kent CT6 7LQ