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Project Noah Nature School
Muscardinus avellanarius
Britains only native Dormouse Hazel dormice are the only small mammals in Britain to have a completely furry tail (pic 3) They have golden-brown fur and large black eyes. It is 6 to 9 cm long with a tail of 5.7 to 7.5 cm
Deciduous woodland with a good, varied shrub understory and large, overgrown hedgerows. Once widespread in the UK , they are now rare and vulnerable to extinction due to loss of habitat. They are mostly found only in the southern counties of England and Wales.
Hazel Dormice are nocturnal. In winter, dormice hibernate in nests beneath the leaf litter on the forest floor,or as in my photos nestboxes (last pic) When they wake up in spring, they build woven nests of honeysuckle bark and fresh leaves in the undergrowth. They eat flowers, honeysuckle and pollen in spring. Fruits, hazelnuts, and sweet chestnuts, as well as aphids and other small insects, in the autumn. Dormice open hazelnuts in a very unique way. They make a round hole in the shell of the hazelnut and leave clear teeth markings on the outside of the shell whilst the inside has no marks and is very smooth (fourth pic)
Spotted on Oct 17, 2009
Submitted on Apr 15, 2013
62 Comments (1–25)
Cute!!
OMG, the cutest thing I've seen today!! Great photos :)
Did you know that back in the day, like I mean WAY back in the day, that Dormice were way over-feed and then stuffed with food and then eaten at royal parties and balls?
It's so chubby! In the last pic are those trees?
Niceeeeeer
Amazingly cute!!!! :)
Adorable!
Que bonitinhos!!
I love the little pink fists and tightly shut eyes as if they were concentrating really hard on sleeping.
TOO CUTE!!!!
Cutie!
Lenny, this is the photo that led me to Project Noah. Thanks for that because it has inspired me on so many levels. These are fabulous photos, and the first Dormice (?) I've ever seen. How adorable they are. Cheers. Neil :-)
Congratulations on the spotting of the week!
Well deserved SOTW!! Congrats!
Congratulations Lenny for been chosen National Geographic Spotting of the Week! That is so very special!
Congratulations Lenny! This adorable pair have been chosen National Geographic Spotting of the Week!
Once widespread in Britain, the hazel dormouse is now vulnerable due to loss of habitat.
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Cuteness!!
Terrific series! Congratulations on Spotting of the Day!
Super cute! Congrats!
Congratulations Lenny!!
Wonderful ..congrats on SOTD !!
Congratulations Lenny. Beautiful series.
Nice
Cute!
Wonderful and informative spotting - congratulations!