National Dormouse Database (NDD)

doi:10.15468/kcty0c

National Dormouse Database (NDD)

Citation

People's Trust for Endangered Species (2025). National Dormouse Database (NDD). Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/kcty0c accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-07-09.

Description

This dataset is a collation of individual records of dormouse sightings and/or evidence from England and Wales mostly between 1988 and 2022, although there are a few earlier records. Records originate from a variety of sources, with the collation held and maintained by People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). It is an incomplete directory of sites due to the ad-hoc nature of data collection. Some sites are regularly monitored using nestboxes as part of the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP) ñ these sites are indicated in the attributes and more detailed biometric data are held by PTES who administer the monitoring programme. The original database held by PTES includes the record source but this is not included in the Atlas version.

Purpose

The dataset was originally compiled to hold data arising from the Great Nut Hunts and to build a complete and up to date picture of the distribution of the dormouse in the UK. This has been used for reporting on the delivery of the Biodiversity Action Plan. Further information can be found at www.ptes.org/dormice. Alternatively please contact PTES via enquiries@ptes.org

Sampling Description

Quality Control

The presence of dormice was identified in several different ways, which are recorded in the dataset under the RecordType attribute. Accompanying reliability scores of Good, Fair and Poor are also given. All records classified as being Good are from reliable sources such as fully trained and licenced monitors, hazel nut shells that have been received by PTES and verified by Dr Pat Morris or photographs that have been verified by PTES.

Method steps

Various methods of data capture are used in this dataset. The record type along with the reliability of the data (good, fair or poor) are detailed in the RecordType and RecordTypeReliability attributes. The majority of data are from either Great Nut Hunts, with all confirmed nuts having been verified by Dr Pat Morris, from the NDMP which is carried out by fully trained and licenced dormouse monitors, or from Natural England class survey licence data. Additional ad-hoc records are collected by PTES via the online recording form at http://surveydata.ptes.org/dormousemonitoring but these are only included in the NDD if they can be verified by a photograph, nut or detailed description by an experienced monitor.

Taxonomic Coverages

Geographic Coverages

England and Wales. The hazel dormouse does not occur in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The dataset has relied largely on contributed data rather than proactive survey, so it suffers from bias towards places that people could readily access during Great Nut Hunts or where NDMP sites have been set up, with higher concentrations of sites potentially occurring in counties where proactive mammal/dormouse groups exist. Grid references normally refer to the centroid of a wood/woodland parcel where the dormouse was found, rather than the actual location.

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

originator
People's Trust for Endangered Species

metadata author
People's Trust for Endangered Species

distributor
NBN Atlas
27 Old Gloucester St, Holborn
London
WC1N 3AX
London
GB
email: admin@nbnatlas.org

Emily Thomas
administrative point of contact
email: emily.thomas@ptes.org