The harvest mouse is Britain's smallest rodent and one of its most endearing. Its welfare and population are declining due to agricultural intensification that has eliminated the dense vegetation it depends on.
Harvest mouse welfare is primarily affected by habitat availability and quality. Their specialized nesting above ground makes them vulnerable to sudden weather changes. Agricultural intensification - replacing mixed farmland with monoculture crops and removing field margins - has eliminated much of the dense tussocky grass they need. Monitoring reveals harvest mice survive in pockets of suitable habitat including reedbeds, roadside verges, and rough grassland. Creating connected corridors of suitable habitat through farm management would support population recovery.