A small golden-brown rodent with black eyes looks out at the camera from a branch.Image source, Clare Pengelly
Image caption,

Dormice have become much rarer in the UK as woodlands and hedgerows are lost

ByHelen Briggs , Environment correspondent and Kate Stephens, Senior science journalist
  • Published51 minutes ago

Dormouse numbers may be recovering in England and Wales after years of decline, offering a rare piece of good news for one of our best-loved mammals.

The animal has disappeared from much of the countryside with conservationists warning of a long-term collapse in its population.