Europe's smallest mammal found at wind farm

The harvest mouse is the only UK mammal to have an entirely prehensile tail

Four harvest mouse nests have been found at a wind farm in Cornwall.

A survey by Cornwall Mammal Group was carried out after staff at the Carland Cross wind farm near Newquay spotted a juvenile harvest mouse nesting close to a control building.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust said tussocky grassland provided "ideal conditions" for the species.

Glenn Norris, ecologist at ScottishPower Renewables, said the firm had found wind farm tracks "add ecological complexity" to habitats.

The harvest mouse is Europe's smallest mammal, weighing the same as a 2p coin and the only UK mammal to have an entirely prehensile tail.

Laura Snell, conservation officer at the wildlife trust, said harvest mice were under recorded in Cornwall until about four years ago, when volunteers started carrying out surveys.

"These surveys have found that they are widely spread across the county, and they have been discovered in a range of habitats including rough grassland, reedbeds, field margins and even in gardens," she said.

"In Cornwall the species is particularly fond of rough tussocky grassland which provides ideal conditions for nest building.

"If areas of grassland on wind farms have been left to develop a tussocky structure, this provides ideal conditions for the species to thrive."