Dormice are widespread in Devon’s interlinked network of hedges, small fields and woods. HG Hurrell and daughter Elaine made the discovery that hazel nuts are nibbled open in a distinctive way – and hence could be used as a survey method – at their home Moorgate on Dartmoor, a hallowed location for local dormouse and county mammal studies. This may be where one of the oldest continuously used dormouse boxes is located, in place since 1960s.

​There are around 90 dormouse nestbox monitoring sites in the county, of which approximately 60 are regularly active. The University of Exeter has hosted several recent dormouse PhD studies.

For more detail please see the downloadable pdf below:

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