The hazel dormouse, aka common dormouse, is the only living species in the genus Muscardinus. They can be found throughout Europe and into western Asia. They may face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial development, farming, ranching, and the logging industry, plus climate change (causing warmer weather), but these little critters are still listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Their population trend is unknown.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Muscardinus avellanarius
Weight: Up to 1.06 ounces
Length: Up to 6.3 inches, including their tail
Lifespan: Up to 5 years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) Even though Ireland has no native dormouse, the hazel dormouse was recently discovered in County Kildare in 2010, and seems to be spreading quickly, aided by the pervasiveness of hedgerows found in the Irish countryside.
2.) Their preferred habitats are deciduous woodlands, hedgerows, and scrublands.
3.) These dormice seldom travel farther than 230 feet from their nest.
4.) Like many other mouse species, they are nocturnal (active at night).
5.) They are primarily arboreal (spend their lives in trees and bushes), and seldom traverse to the ground, for fear of predation.
But wait, there’s more on the hazel dormouse!
6.) Owls, domestic cats, domestic dogs, weasels, badgers, wild boars, grey squirrels, and foxes all prey on these rodents.
7.) They hibernate from October – May.
Did you know…?
When feasting on hazelnuts, they will bore an almost perfect round hole in the shell and extract the nut inside.
8.) If the weather is wet and/or too cold, and food is scarce, they will save energy by going into torpor (a state of physical or mental inactivity or lethargy). That being said, these critters spend most of their lives sleeping.
9.) Berries, nuts, fruit, hazelnuts (their main source of food), buds of young leaves, flowers (for nectar and pollen), and insects are all feasted upon.
10.) The hazel dormouse is currently protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
But wait, there’s still more on the hazel dormouse!
11.) These diminutive critters have been around since the Middle Miocene approximately 13.8 million years.
12.) Their tail measures up to 80% of their body length and, uniquely, they boast double-jointed hind ankles. Its whiskers are also long and moveable.
Did you know…?
The young, like other mice, are born altricial (blind and helpless) and don’t open their eyes for up to 18 days after birth.
13.) It takes upwards of 20 minutes to open and extract a hazelnut.
14.) These mice do not possess a cecum which is a part of the gut used for digesting plants.
15.) Females undergo up to a 24 day gestation (pregnancy) that yields up to 4 young.
Now a Short Hazel Dormouse Video!
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
Photo credit: Zowiac
