ABSTRACT

Edible dormouse (Glis glis) is a very rare species in north-western Poland; only three localities are known in this part of the country. One locality is in Sierakowski Landscape Park in an isolated reserve "Buki nad Jeziorem Lutomskim" (~70 ha). The spread of the edible dormice from this reserve to other suitable forests seems to be constrained by substantial barriers such as fields, lakes, urban areas and pine forest. The reintroduction of G. glis to Sierakowski Landscape Park has thus been proposed. The programme started in the summer of 1997. Forty-three dormice (among them: wild-caught, kept during a year in captivity and captive-bred) have been released so far. The first group (25 individuals) was released in September 1998 and the second (18 individuals) in September 1999. All edible dormice were acclimated to a new site before release. Six dormice from the group released in September 1998 were found in the next year. In September 1999 the released dormice were radio-tracked. The distances travelled per night by dormice kept in cages for one year were less than distances travelled by wild-caught dormice. The maximum linear distances dormice were found from the release points, were also less in animals kept for one year in cages.