Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Edible Dormouse
Scientific Name:
Glis glis
Weight:
Up to 250g
Lifespan:
Up to 7 years
Also Known As:
Fat dormouse. Little chinchilla. Description
Significantly larger than the dormouse, the Edible Dormouse has a uniform grey coat with white underside and large, bushy tail, and is almost as big as a squirrel.
Distribution
Found largely in and around the Chilterns, just northwest of London. Lord Rothschild introduced this dormouse from Europe, to his estate in Tring, in around 1900.
Habitat
In the locality in which it is found, woodland provides its main habitat although lofts, barns and outhouses may also offer a home. The dormouse builds both summer and winter nests - as the Fat dormouse hibernates from October til April.
Predators
Birds of prey, foxes, badgers and man are all predators of the dormouse.
Reproduction
Breeding throughout summer and up until late October, a dormouse can produce a litter with as many as 12 young. Newborns are usually weaned by their mothers for about a month, after which time they become fully independent and forage for their own food.
Status
Rarely found outside the Luton, Beaconsfield and Aylesbury triangle, where they are fairly common.
Did You Know?
The Edible Dormouse gets it's name from Roman times, when the marching soldiers would carry them in jars to be fattened up for eating when they arrived at camp.
Footprint Description
Fore foot has 4 digital pads,very small with very fine claw marks sometimes present. Interdigital pad sometimes shows as an oblong "block". Hind foot has 5 digital pads, no claw marks visible. Interdigital pad, with 4 lobes is often fused with he 2 proximal pads, giving the impression of one large pad.
Footprint Size
Hind foot - 3x2.5cm, fore foot - 2x2cm. Stride approx 8cm.