Feature: Beatrix Potter mice return home 25 years after thought extinct

The iconic harvest mouse immortalized in the famous tales by the British author Beatrix Potter have returned after 25 years to the English village where they were first discovered.

It was thought the tiny mouse, the size of a ping-pong ball, had become extinct in the traditional village of Selborne in the county of Hampshire.

But the government department responsible for rural affairs announced Friday that 150 of their delicate nests have been discovered around the village.

The return the harvest mouse to their famous home is thanks to innovative farming methods, which has seen a cluster of local farmers joining forces with volunteers to create wildlife habitats in and around their farm fields.

The species of mice were first discovered in the village in 1767 by local curate, the Rev. Gilbert White, recognised in Britain as the father of natural history. They were given the official name of micromys minutus, better known as the harvest mouse.

Intensive farming methods are thought to have led to the disappearance of the harvest mouse in Selborne, with the last sightings in 1990.

In stories by the British Victorian children's writer Beatrix Potter, the harvest mice were transformed into characters, winning affection from generations of readers across the world.

An innovative scheme led to the creation of the Selborne Farmer Cluster which brought together local farmers to achieve greater ecological benefits by protecting the wider landscapes.

Truss, who today visited the village, said: "As an avid reader of Beatrix Potter in my youth I'm delighted that the iconic Harvest Mouse has been rediscovered in the very area in which it was first identified.

"The farmers of Selborne should be congratulated for the innovative approach they have taken to managing their land for the good of the environment and local wildlife.

"The Selborne farmer cluster is a great example of responsible landowners thinking beyond their own fields, meadows and woodlands and looking at the wider landscape to deliver greater environmental benefits on a larger scale."

Farmers around the village worked with volunteers to carry out vital work such as hedge laying, hedge planting and the maintenance of grass headlands to create habitats.

The Selborne cluster, which spans 11 farms and covers 4,000 hectares, is led by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust.

London born Beatrix Potter was an author, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist, best known for her children's books featuring a range of countryside animals. Endit