For more information regarding the Dormouse and planning applications within the National Park, please visit the Planning pages.

The dormouse is active only at night and can be found in deciduous woodland and overgrown hedgerows. During the day it sleeps in a nest, often in a hollow tree branch or a deserted bird nest or nestbox. It rarely comes to the ground and instead spends most of its time climbing among tree branches in search of food. It feeds on a variety of flowers, pollen, fruits, insects and nuts. Dormice require a diverse habitat to provide this range of food and favour coppiced woodlands that have the dense canopy enabling them to move around.

 They can raise one or occasionally two litters a year, each usually of about four young. The new-born dormice remain with their mother for 6-8 weeks before becoming independent. The breeding season and success depends very much on the weather. During the winter they hibernate and are not normally active again until about April or May.  Dormice live up to five years in the wild, much longer than other comparable small mammals.

Dormice are strictly protected by law and may not be intentionally killed, injured or disturbed in their nests, collected, trapped or sold except under licence.

View more information on the Dormouse on the Mammal Soceity website and Natural England's Dormouse Information note.

English Nature has produced a Handbook for Dormouse Conservation Please note that while most of this information contained in this guide can be applied in Wales, licensing arrangements are different.

Advice for woodland managers from the Forestry Commission on carrying out Woodland Management with presence of the Dormouse.

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Species

Biodiversity in the National Park.