Each year, Wimbledon uses over 55,000 tennis balls, and instead of discarding them as waste, a portion is creatively recycled to benefit nature.
One such initiative transforms these tennis balls into homes for the Harvest Mouse, in collaboration with Wildlife Trusts across regions in England—such as Avon, Glamorgan, and Northumberland.
The tennis balls are drilled with small holes just big enough for the mice, then placed in tall grass or hung on posts to protect against predators and unpredictable weather. Remarkably, a single ball can house up to 10 tiny mice.
The Harvest Mouse (Micromys minutus) is among the smallest mammals in Europe—about the size of a thumb, weighing under 10 grams. It has a long, prehensile tail used for gripping, and is highly skilled at building nests within grass stems found in wetlands or farmlands.
However, due to the expansion of agriculture and natural threats like flooding, this species has begun losing its habitat, and in parts of England, is now considered endangered.
Thus, the “Tennis-ball homes” project—started in the early 2000s—was born as a simple, approachable, and eco-friendly way to help conserve the Harvest Mouse.
Beyond saving many tiny lives, this project has inspired several sports clubs in England to explore creative recycling of their own gear. Fans have also praised the idea as a “Wonderful idea”
