Nine Houses

 

Dormice look like regular mice, except their eyes are a bit larger and their tails are furrier. Their name comes from a French word meaning “sleepy.” Most people are only familiar with the species because of the drowsy character from Alice in Wonderland. Hazel dormice are native to the British Isles, and in Lewis Carrol’s day they were a common sight. Their home is the shrub layer of the woodland. In many places, this habitat has either been stripped out, or trees have been allowed to overgrow so the underbrush dies out. Once widespread, the tiny mammals have disappeared from 17 English counties. An effort is underway to rectify the situation. Through a collaboration between wildlife charity groups, the University of Cumbria and several English zoos, a thousand captive-bred dormice have recently been released in carefully selected locations. They’ve even been provided with special handmade wooden nesting boxes, courtesy of prisoners incarcerated in Doncaster and Humber.