Return Of Dormice Brings Cheer To Conservationists

The loss of habitat had led to steep drop of Dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) in Britain. The efforts to stem this tide are coming to fruition. Reintroduction trials in Linconshire are on way to success. Dormice are good indicators of the environment's health. Common dormice may spend up to three quarters of their life asleep. They hibernate to conserve energy when food is scarce. . Dormice breed once or twice a year, with four being the typical size of a litter. They can live for as long as five years. Little is known about their social behaviour.