Supercute, endangered and running wild in Leicestershire

Conservationists have released more than twenty rare hazel dormice into a secret woodland location in Leicestershire.

The project is part of national efforts to help the tiny endangered species return from the brink of extinction.

It follows a similar successful reintroduction of the mammals to the National Forest, in neighbouring Derbyshire.

The hope is that these two groups of dormice will one day form part of a wider population spanning the whole area.

What have wildlife experts done with the dormice?

Experts say that numbers of hazel dormice have fallen by around 70% nationally in the past twenty five years.

Despite once being common across Britain, they have experienced a big drop in numbers for many reasons but particularly because of loss of habitat - places to live such as woods and hedgerows.

The way woods and hedgerows are maintained has also impacted their survival as the tiny mice need dense, varied woodlands to hide and survive.

According to a recent report, the species is thought to now be extinct in 20 English counties.

The dormice were reintroduced this week to a secret location within the Bradgate Park Trust estate in Leicestershire by a team of experts, including wildlife charity People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES).

To help them adapt to their new environment, the animals will be first housed in open enclosures for more than a week, before being fully released into the wild.

Ian White from PTES said that the reintroduction could be an important step in starting a new population of dormice.

He explained: "It's a big day for the county, as dormice haven't been seen here for a very long time.

"We're hopeful that by autumn, the dormice will have settled into the woodland. If we start to see litters later this year, it will mark the beginning of their return," Mr White added.