Details
Glis glis
Edible dormouse is a large European dormouse of deciduous woods, historically kept as food in antiquity. The English name reflects its history as an animal fattened for food in Roman times.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses beech and oak woods, orchards, and old buildings with tree holes or nest boxes. Main habitat types in this guide are forest, urban.
Typical length 14-19 cm, weight 70 g-300 g. Gray fur, a white belly, bushy tail, and large dark eyes give it a squirrel-like look.
It is nocturnal and usually solitary. It is nocturnal and arboreal, entering a long hibernation in cold seasons.
It is herbivorous. Nuts, fruit, buds, and seeds are eaten, especially to build fat before hibernation.
Young are born in tree holes or nest boxes, and breeding success is linked to food-rich years.
Although still widespread in places, it remains sensitive to habitat change. The English name reflects its history as an animal fattened for food in Roman times.
