Tony Jackson tells the tale of a creature which spends a great deal of its life slumbering
ONE of the most charming members of our native wildlife, the hazel dormouse is, sadly, an endangered species. Once common throughout the land, this small, harmless little creature with an extraordinary lifestyle, has vanished from so many counties as a result of habitat loss due to modern farming practices, the spreading network of roads which isolate communities and changes in woodland management.
However, the good news is that the West Country, notably Devon and the West Dorset and Somerset borders, remain a stronghold for this furry-tailed little mouse which spends half its year sound asleep! Indeed, half its two- to three-year-old life is spent in a dormant coma.
Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av Somerset Life.
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Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av Somerset Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Up on the Down
Try this easy-to-follow Exmoor walk with SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE
Shop until you drop
It’s Somerset’s county town, it’s the place to go for the big shops, but Taunton is also home to a thriving independent scene, discovers CATHERINE COURTENAY
Creatures of the night
Have you ever had something swoop past your ear, almost unseen? You may have had a brief encounter with a bat, says BERNARD BALE
Bowled over
Now that we can return to skittle and bowling alleys - albeit with new rules BERNARD BALE reveals that the sport of bowling has many Somerset links
Trackway through time
In the Somerset Levels SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE discovers a place where our Neolithic heritage rubs shoulders with the present day
SAVING THE SPLENDOUR OF EXMOOR
The splendour of Exmoor National Park may appear timeless and untroubled, but a new book reveals the long and often bitter struggle conservationists faced to save the landscape from the twin threats of afforestation and the plough
Decorative art
Not simply functional, treat your walls like an extension of your personality
Charity starts at home
How do we teach our children the importance of giving back?
Blooming brilliant
Will and Lauren Holley purchased a four-acre field in Somerset, converted it into a nursery, opened during lockdown and now their perennial plants are flying off the shelves. JULIE HARDING meets the go-getting couple
Age-old advice
Just become a grandparent for the first time? Perhaps you need a little guidance, so here are some top tips about how to embrace your new family role
