PREVIEW

10 tiny mice have undergone health checks ahead of their release into the wild. Each 20-gram rare hazel dormouse had a 10-minute appointment with wildlife vets from ZSL’s Institute of Zoology. During the checks, each rodent had their heart and lungs checked with a stethoscope before having their eyes, ears, nose, teeth and fur examined. They were also microchipped and x-rayed to check their bones and overall health. The health checks ensure that animals being released to the wild are fit and healthy enough to be released into the wild and that there is no risk of them passing diseases onto local wildlife. The dormice will be heading to a secret woodland location this summer as part of the annual reintroduction programme led by People’s Trust for Endangered Species.