Clean bill of health for tiny hazel dormice | The Zoological Society of London

10 tiny rare hazel dormice have been given the all-clear by our wildlife vets, ahead of their release into the wild next month.

Each 20-gram dormouse had a 10-minute appointment with wildlife vets from our Institute of Zoology during which their heart and lungs were checked with a stethoscope, and their eyes, ears, nose, teeth and fur examined. They were also microchipped and x-rayed to check their bones and overall health.

Hazel dormice populations have decreased by a staggering 70% nationally since 2000, but ongoing efforts to restore their populations have seen more than 1,000 dormice reintroduced into 25 woodland habitats in 13 English counties since 1993.