The hazel dormouse is Britain's only native dormouse species, declining across its range due to habitat fragmentation, climate change, and woodland management changes.
Hazel dormouse welfare is fundamentally linked to woodland habitat quality and connectivity. Individual dormice suffer in fragmented landscapes where they cannot move between suitable woodland patches without crossing open ground. Climate change disrupts hibernation timing, with unseasonally warm periods causing dormice to emerge prematurely and deplete fat reserves. Cold wet springs reduce the availability of invertebrate prey during a critical period after emergence. Restoring woodland connectivity through hedgerow management and habitat corridors directly benefits individual dormouse welfare.