Two 14-year-olds have launched a conservation project inviting Devon children to breed harvest mice at home for release into the wild.
Eva Wishart and Emily Smith created Wild Pets to revive endangered populations of the tiny animals. The project seeks 20 Devon-based children to rear hundreds of mice after the pair's own successful restoration efforts, according to the Guardian.
The scheme aims to breed and release 250 harvest mice by September. Participants will become what the project calls "citizen captive breeders", taking responsibility for raising the animals before their return to natural habitats.
Harvest mice are among Britain's smallest rodents and face declining wild populations. The project represents a practical conservation approach that combines youth involvement with species recovery.