Garden Dormouse

Adventure step • Meet the species

Overview

The Garden Dormouse is a charming small rodent with a highly distinctive appearance that makes it easy to identify. It features a black mask across its eyes that gives it the look of a tiny bandit, and large rounded ears that protrude from its head. The fur is reddish-brown or greyish-brown on the upper side while the belly is light cream-colored. The bushy tail is long, often longer than the body, and has a distinct black-and-white pattern with a white tuft at the tip. This nocturnal rodent is a skilled climber that spends much time in trees and bushes. Despite what its name suggests, it doesn't live exclusively in gardens but actually prefers rocky areas, cliffs, and mountainous terrain with sparse forests. The Garden Dormouse is an omnivore with a varied diet consisting of insects, slugs, birds and bird eggs, as well as seeds, nuts, berries, and fruits. It is actually more carnivorous than many other dormice and can even attack prey almost as large as itself. A fascinating characteristic of the Garden Dormouse is its ability to hibernate during winter months. From October to April, it drastically lowers its body temperature and survives on body fat accumulated during summer and autumn. During this time, it may wake periodically to eat from its caches or to change sleeping locations. Hibernation is a survival strategy that allows it to endure periods when food is scarce. Unfortunately, the Garden Dormouse has declined dramatically in numbers across large parts of Europe in recent decades. The cause of the decline is not fully understood, but habitat loss, use of pesticides, and climate change are all believed to play a role. In some countries, the species is now threatened or nearly extinct from areas where it was previously common. Research is ongoing to better understand the species' needs and how to protect it.