Camera-trap assisted monitoring of presence and ecology of the hazel dormouse

Die Einflüsse von Habitatparametern und das Vorkommen anderer Arten auf die Haselmaus sowie die Aktivitätsphasen dieser Art wurden mit Kamerafallen und Lockmittel in isolierten Straßenrandhabitaten im Westen Schleswig-Holsteins und Osten Hamburgs untersucht. Die gemittelte Anzahl von Nächten bis zum ers- ten Nachweis betrug 5,88 (± 4,55) und Individuen wurden oft nur einmal gesichtet. Ein Muster von drei nächtlichen Aktivitätsschüben konnte festgestellt werden. An- wesenheit einer großen Waldfläche und Haselsträuchern sowie die Abwesenheit von Wald- und Gelbhalsmäusen hatten einen positiven Effekt auf die Anwesenheit von Haselmäusen an den Kamerastellen.

Findings of overground nests of rodents in the Ukrainian Beskids (upper course of the Dnister)

Materials are collected and generalised on the overground nesting activity of 4 rodent species under conditions of the north Carpathian taiga: the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), the edible dormouse (Glis glis), the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), and the harvest mouse (Micromys minutus). The locality is characterised by a combination various habitats. Common and unique variants of nests of these species are described, particularly the arrangement by the hazel dormouse of its own nests in nests of the Eurasian wren and song thrush, an unusual nest of the red squirrel, and the nesting of the edible dormouse in an abandoned dress.

Small mammals in the diet of long-eared owl (Asio otus) in the southwest of Belarus

The article discusses the species and taxonomic composition of the long-eared owl (Asio otus) preys based on the analysis of pellets (n = 209) collected in the winter-spring period in 2016 in the Malarytsky district (Lozitsa village) and the Brest region district center. The distance between Malaryta town and Lozitsa village is about 10 km. Parts of the skull of 512 small mammals (2.45 individuals per pellet) and one bird were found. Feeding on birds for the long-eared owl is episodic. Representatives of 2 orders, 10 genera and 12 species of small mammals (5 species of shrews and 7 rodents) became preys of the owl. The proportion of rodents is 98.24 % of all preys. The absolute dominant among prey species is Microtus arvalis (85.16 % of all victims), which is consistent with numerous work carried out in other regions. Significant portions are of Apodemus agrarius (4.10 %), Muscardinus avellanarius (2.54 %), Sylvaemus tauricus (1.76 %), and Alexandromys oeconomus (1.56 %). The list of preys is presented by meadow-field, synanthropic and different species actively moving from adjacent forests in the Malaryta river floodplain and canal systems (Sylvaemus tauricus, Sorex araneus, S. minutus, Neomys fodiens). The occurence of two shrew species Crocidura leucodon and C. suaveolens in the city of Malaryta has been proved, which corresponds to similar information for the city of Brest. This suggests that C. suaveolens inhabits the entire territory of the Belarusian Polesie at present. The occurence of the non-abundant species Sicista betulina in vicinities of the town of Malaryta was confirmed. The results obtained confirm the significant trophic effect of the long-eared owl on the local population of the hazel dormouse and also indicate the relatively high abundance of this rodent in the study area. Seven species were identified in pellets of the long-eared owl living near the village of Lozitsa, and 12 species of small mammals were identified in the town of Malaryta. The diversity of the landscape of the town of Malaryta determines the large number of prey species.

Optimising occupancy models and detection probability for conservation monitoring in a forest-dwelling small mammal

The ability to determine the survey effort required to detect species presence is critical for the conservation of populations in order to monitor changes in distribution or abundance, a challenge for rare and elusive species. While designing an effective population survey may be of concern to scientists, it may also be a legal requirement for protected species. We analysed how spatial and temporal variation in sampling effort impacts detection probability in the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), a small mammal that naturally occurs at low density in forest habitat. We used presence and absence data from 144 sites in England, UK. We found that detection probability was strongly affected by survey intensity, with a 37.5% increase in detection probability when sampling effort was increased from 16 to 50 nest tubes per site. We also show that detection probability is highly temporally dependent; monitoring early in the year results in low detection probability (21%-53%; April-June), whilst detection dramatically increased later in the year (89%; September). Our results suggest that variation in detection probability can be complex and influenced by effects at temporal and spatial scales, and by sampling effort. We show that sampling effort can be minimised depending on seasonal variation in detection probability, however this is likely to be species and method dependent.

They don’t live forever: How life history data and encounter probability help to assess success of Muscardinus avellanarius translocations (Rodentia: Gliridae)

The hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) is a European Protected Species and for this reason, hazel dormice are protected from deliberate killing, injury or disturbance and its sites and resting places are also protected. During development projects impacts on hazel dormouse individuals and populations should be avoided. If avoidance is not possible measures of mitigation and compensation have to be implemented. In many cases the only suitable measure to prevent disturbance, killing or injury of individuals is the translocation of hazel dormice to another suitable habitat. The success of translocations has so far been rarely documented. To assess the success of translocations, the natural mortality of hazel dormice has to be considered as well as the likelihood of finding specific individuals during the proposed action. How these data affect the assessment of translocation success is calculated based on published data on seasonal survival rates of different cohorts and of unpublished monthly encounter probabilities of a population of marked animals. Depending on the time between the translocation event and the subsequent monitoring controls the number of hazel dormice likely to be alive can be low. For this reason, success cannot be evaluated with our method if the sample size is too small.