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The common or hazel dormouse is an index species of species-rich woods and groves. Its ability to hibernate has fascinated the naturalists of all times. Until recently, however, little was known about the biology of the dormouse due to its secret habits. In the last decades researchers began to deal with the dormouse more thoroughly, particularly because of its relevance in nature conservation. Showing a strict preference for woodland, the hazel dormouse is especially vulnerable to habitat destruction. Exact knowledge of its biology and its ecological requirements are a prerequisite for the conservation of our smallest indigenous dormouse species.
In this first German monograph of the fascinating hazel dormouse the authors present their results of more than 25 years of field research and examine them in the context of the international dormouse literature.
LANGUAGE: English

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Dr. Rimvydas Juskaitis, studied biology at Vilnius University in Lithuania; wrote his dissertation about the ecology of the hazel dormouse at Leningrad University under the supervision of Prof. A. E. Airapetyants; leading researcher at the Institute of Ecology of Nature Research Centre (Lithuania); research interests include: ecology of dormice, small mammals, birds breeding in nest boxes; studied the hazel dormouse since 1981; author of a monograph on the ecology of the hazel dormouse, author and co-author of several books on mammals and birds (in Lithuanian), published over 80 scientific papers; editor of the scientific journal ´Theriologia Lituanica´ (2001-2005); member of the Lithuanian Society of Mammalogy and the Lithuanian Ornithological Society. Sven Büchner, studied biology at the University of Halle-Wittenberg (Germany) in the animal ecology group of Prof. M. Stubbe; currently working as a specialist ecological consultant; studied the hazel dormouse since 1997; expert advisor on the ´Great Nut Hunt´ project in Germany; coordinator of the hazel dormouse monitoring scheme across several regions in Germany; co-organizer of the 8th International Conference on Dormice; member of the German Society of Mammalogy, the mammal fauna working group of Saxony and the Natural Scientific Society of Upper Lusatia.

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