Status and distribution of dormice (Mammalia, Gliridae) in Bulgaria

Here we summarize all available data about dormice (Gliridae) in Bulgaria, published one and our own observations, collected in the last 20 years. Four species are found in Bulgaria - the Forest Dormouse (Dryomys nitedula), the Edible Dormouse (Glis glis), the Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) and the Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse (Myomimus roachi). Altogether we collected 1200 records from 283 locations. A database has been created in which every single record is kept. The most common and widespread species are the Edible (G. glis) and Forest Dormouse (D. nitedula), found in 212 and 139 locations respectively. They inhabit mainly the deciduous and mixed forest in the country. The Hazel Dormouse (M. avellanarius) is found in 77 locations, the bulk of them are in the mountains, but there are some locations along the Danube and southeast Bulgaria. It prefers woods with a well-developed understorey. The Roach’s mouse-tailed dormouse (M. roachi) is the rarest one - found in 26 locations in southeast Bulgaria. In contrast to the other dormice, it avoids woods and lives in semi-open habitats with shrubs, tree lines, and islands in grasslands and agricultural fields. There are several anecdotal reports of the Garden Dormouse (Eliomys quercinus) but no hard proof exists for the presence of this species. We discussed the patterns of distribution, conservation status, and coexistence of Bulgarian dormice.