В резервате Хэмпшира обнаружена популяция бурых лесных мышей, исчезающих в Великобритании

One of the UK’s fastest-declining mammals has been found thriving at a Hampshire nature reserve. Ecologists from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust discovered nesting hazel dormice during a recent survey at St Catherine’s Hill Nature Reserve on the edge of Winchester. The tiny mammals are facing a dramatic decline across the UK, with their population falling by 70 per cent since 1990 and their range halving over the past century. READ MORE: - Drivers warned as M27 set to shut for road works in September - Deadline Day Live: All the latest Saints breaking transfer news and rumours - Fire the size of a 'football field' breaks out at popular waterfront The Trust said climate change is among the main threats facing dormice, with milder winters potentially disrupting their hibernation and causing them to wake more frequently. Despite the national decline, the species continues to be found at several Wildlife Trust sites across Hampshire. The charity regularly monitors dormouse populations and manages woodland to provide suitable habitats for the animals. Hazel dormice are a protected species, meaning the survey work at St Catherine’s Hill was carried out under licence.