Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius

The Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) is one of Britain’s most beloved but declining small mammals, requiring structurally complex, well-connected woodland and scrub for feeding, nesting, and hibernation. Nationally, it has declined substantially due to woodland fragmentation and the loss of coppice management. In Suffolk, the dormouse is scarce, largely confined to a small number of ancient woodland and hedgerow systems in the south of the county, and targeted nest-tube surveys have helped establish its presence at key sites. Suffolk sits towards the eastern edge of its English range, making woodland connectivity especially important here. Image: © Frank Vassen, Flickr.

Find out more: The Mammal Society, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, People's Trust for Endangered Species, iNaturalist, Suffolk LNRS information page