ACTION for Wildlife ? the Dartmoor Biodiversity Project ? is looking for volunteers to help identify more sites of Dormouse activity on Dartmoor. Some information on their current distribution is already known, but the picture is still far from complete.
Volunteers need no prior experience, just a willingness to spend time rooting around in hedgerows and woodlands looking for hazel nuts. Hazelnuts are eaten by birds and a variety of mammals, and by examining the nuts it is possible to tell which animal has opened the shell to get at the nut inside.
Action for Wildlife assistant project officer Sarah Mellor said: ?As dormice are very shy and mostly nocturnal this is an excellent method of establishing their presence in an area, and an enjoyable activity for sunny autumn days?.
Anyone who would like to take part can get in touch with Action for Wildlife and request a survey pack which will help them to identify nuts eaten by small mammals.
This survey pack can be downloaded from the publications page on the Action for Wildlife website at actionforwildlife.org.uk
Volunteers can request a survey pack by email at [email protected]">[email protected] or by telephoning the assistant project officer on 01626 831072.
Survey packs can also be collected from one of the Dartmoor National Park information centres at Postbridge, Princetown, Haytor or Newbridge.
This request for help follows a successful survey carried out last year by the community of Lydford, as part of the Nature for Real project organised by Action for Wildlife and assisted by National Lottery funding.
The survey at Lydford discovered two valuable new dormouse records.