Fat (Glis glis), forest (Dryomys nitedula) and common (Muscardinus Avellanarius) dormouse abundance in Kaunas region

Abstract

Dormice are unique rodents due to hibernation, estivation and daily torpor. At this moment three dormouse species of four are recorded into Lithuania red book (2007): garden dormouse – 0 (Ex) category (Extinct/ believed to be extinct), fat dormouse – 2 (V) category (vulnerable species), and forest dormouse belongs to 3 (R) category (rare species). It is very important to know more about number of these endangered animals. In present study monitoring of dormouse were used more than 200 nestboxes in 6 different localities in Kaunas district (Būdų forest, Šešuva preserve, Vadų forest, Pravieniškių forest, Strošiūnų forest) during 2010 – 2013 years. After 2013 monitoring there were found 61 dormouse (30 fat dormouse, 23 forest dormouse and 8 common dormouse), all of them were weighed, sexed and aged. During 2010 – 2013 years were caught more than 240 dormouse (91 fat dormouse, 90 forest dormouse and 59 common dormouse. During monitoring it was concluded that slot-loading number better show dormouse population size than the set number of nestboxes and not on the same time collected data can skew the results of dormouse population size.