A GROUP of volunteers, alongside a licenced ecologist, undertook South West Lakes Trust’s bi-annual dormouse box checks at Roadford Lake on Saturday, September 16.

The site has historically been a stronghold for these endangered mammals and South West Lakes Trust’s checks, which have been taking place for the past 15 years, tie in with the national dormouse monitoring programme, which helps assess the state of the UK population.

Countryside warden for the South West Lakes Trust, Kit Hancock, said: “In May 2017 we recorded only six hazel dormice, but the recent checks revealed 22 Dormice, which included three breeding pairs with up to five young, which is a fantastic result. We were also spoilt with the occasional box filled with wood mice and even a pygmy shrew. It was a great day.”

To carry out Dormouse surveying you need to have a license, it is not permitted for members of the public to come and open boxes. If you are interested in wildlife recording, then get in touch by calling 01566 771930 or email [email protected].

The next checks will be taking place in May 2018 where it is hoped even more of these creatures will be found.