«Zorro» in the edible dormouse enclosure
Special guests in the Müsli-Hüsli
The three edible dormice in the Müsli-Hüsli died during hibernation last winter due to their advanced age. For the time being, two garden dormice are living in the enclosure.
There are currently no edible dormice to be found in the Müsli-Hüsli. The reason: the three dormice at Langenberg Wildlife Park did not wake up from hibernation last winter due to their very advanced age. As it was not possible to obtain new edible dormice from other zoos at short notice, Wildnispark Zurich took in two garden dormice from Wildlife Park Goldau: one female and one male.
Garden dormice, like edible dormice, tree dormice, and hazel mice, are so-called dormice. Dormice are nocturnal and therefore rarely seen in daylight. But when you do catch a glimpse of garden dormice, you can recognize them by their typical black Zorro mask.
The garden dormice will remain at Langenberg Wildlife Park until further notice. Signs on site indicate the special guests in the edible dormouse enclosure.
Dormice in Switzerland
Dormice fare differently in Switzerland, depending on how much pressure their habitat is under. While the tree dormouse is endangered and only found in the Engadin and Münstertal valleys, the edible dormouse is widespread. It benefits from climatic changes that lead to more mast years for trees and thus a rich food supply.
The garden dormouse is rarer than the edible dormouse. It is found in parks and orchards and occasionally takes up residence in the attic of a vacation home. However, its ideal habitat is in natural forests with plenty of dead wood, insects, and old trees with hollows that it uses as nests.
