David with artificial harvest mouse nest

Sven’s on a mission. He and Forest Volunteers, Diane and David have been boring holes in tennis balls and attaching them to tree stakes. This behaviour which would be seen as being a bit strange in some circles has quite an exciting purpose – giving a mouse a home. And not just any mouse; the harvest mouse, micromys minutus, Britains smallest rodent has been affected by highly efficient agricultural systems in recent years and needs a bit of a helping hand.

The harvest mouse’s prehensile (gripping) tail allows it to live an aerial life amongst trees, reeds and long grasses and at only 5-11g can live quite happily supported only by grass stems. It usually makes a beautiful nest of dried grasses woven amongst upright stems but Sven, our Park Ranger, is convinced that they are happy to take a short cut and use an adapted tennis ball instead.

These curious mouse houses are now dotted around the Park. Rest assured, we will bring you updates on their success during the summer.

More information about harvest mice