Muscardinus avellanarius

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	GLIRIDAE

Scientific Name:

Muscardinus avellanarius

Species Authority

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Common Dormouse, Hazel Dormouse
French	–	Muscardin
Spanish	–	Muscardino

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Amori, G., Hutterer, R., Kryštufek, B., Yigit, N., Mitsain, G., Meinig, H. & Juškaitis, R.

Evaluator/s:

Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Temple, H. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Least Concern. This is a relatively common and widespread species across its range. However, in parts of its northern range (e.g. UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Denmark) populations are declining and fragmented as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation. In these areas there is cause for concern.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/near threatened (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The common dormouse occurs in Europe and northern Asia Minor (Turkey). In continental Europe, it is fairly widespread, although it is absent from Iberia, south-west France, and northern parts of Fennoscandia and Russia. It is also absent from eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Island populations occur in southern Britain and on Corfu and Sicily (Morris 1999, Rossolimo et al. (2001). In the Alps it occurs up to 1,920 m (Spitzenberger 2002).
Countries:	Native: Albania; Austria; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom

Range Description:

The common dormouse occurs in Europe and northern Asia Minor (Turkey). In continental Europe, it is fairly widespread, although it is absent from Iberia, south-west France, and northern parts of Fennoscandia and Russia. It is also absent from eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Island populations occur in southern Britain and on Corfu and Sicily (Morris 1999, Rossolimo et al. (2001). In the Alps it occurs up to 1,920 m (Spitzenberger 2002).

Countries:

Native:

Albania; Austria; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom

Population [top]

Population:	Population trends vary in different parts of the range: in some areas it is declining, in others it is considered stable. In parts of its northern range (e.g., UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Denmark) populations are declining and fragmented as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation. However, in Lithuania it is a common and widespread species, and no decline has been observed (Juškaitis 2003). Population densities may reach c.10 individuals per hectare in optimal habitat, but densities are significantly lower in less favourable habitats (Morris 1999).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

Population trends vary in different parts of the range: in some areas it is declining, in others it is considered stable. In parts of its northern range (e.g., UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Denmark) populations are declining and fragmented as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation. However, in Lithuania it is a common and widespread species, and no decline has been observed (Juškaitis 2003). Population densities may reach c.10 individuals per hectare in optimal habitat, but densities are significantly lower in less favourable habitats (Morris 1999).

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabits deciduous woodland, favouring forest edge, secondary growth, coppices, and other wooded areas with a dense shrubby understorey. It is also found in hedgerows in farmland. It is an arboreal feeder, foraging on flowers, insects and fruit.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	In north-western parts of the species' range, habitat fragmentation as a result of forestry, urbanisation and agriculture is a major threat. It was formerly a popular pet in some parts of its range, but this is now illegal in many countries (Morris 1999).

Major Threat(s):

In north-western parts of the species' range, habitat fragmentation as a result of forestry, urbanisation and agriculture is a major threat. It was formerly a popular pet in some parts of its range, but this is now illegal in many countries (Morris 1999).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Annex IV of the EU Habitats and Species Directive. In many countries this species is included on national Red Lists.

Conservation Actions:

It is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Annex IV of the EU Habitats and Species Directive. In many countries this species is included on national Red Lists.

Citation:	IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 15 October 2008.
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