First, some information about the Harvest Mouse. They live only, about a year and a half. They are the smallest rodents in Europe. And the Only mammal in Britain with a prehensile tail. That is to say, a tail that is used to grasp or hold objects. This tail allows the Harvest Mouse to move through tall plants, by grasping from one stem, to the next.
Their lives, though admittedly short, seem to be full of adventure. Them playing with dandelions. Trying to fit into small fruit. Having romantic tête-à-têtes above pink flowers. Their world, seems adorable and amazing. And perhaps no other man has produced a greater visual body of work about these little Harvest Mice, than photographer Dean Mason. A photographer from the UK, Dorset to be exact who picked up his camera lens, at the age of 17.
“I have been a dedicated wildlife photographer for the past 20 years and enjoyed every single second [of it],” he said in an interview with Bored Panda. “Wildlife fascinates me for many reasons: It’s always challenging and I thrive on a challenge. I love the peace and tranquillity of nature and the outdoors, and I have always suffered from anxiety, so having spent 1000s of hours by myself with nature and my camera equipment, I’ve always found it to be therapeutic and calming… Harvest mice are … natural climbers so we give them various plants, stems, flowers for them to climb upon which offers opportunities for photographic images.”
