Dispersal of common dormice Muscardinus avellanarius in a habitat mosaic

In the eastern part of Saxony (Germany), common dormiceMuscardinus avellanarius (Linnaeus, 1758) were found in very small woods (average area of 10 woods was 2.9 ± 1.4 ha) isolated within agricultural fields for more than 100 years (average distance to the next, larger wood 268 ± 84 m). Dormice reproduced even in wood islands smaller than two hectares. Altogether 6 marked dormice were recorded migrating across the open landscape. Of these, 5 were juveniles. Minimum and maximum distances in treeless areas between points of capture and recapture were 250 and 500 m respectively. These migrations over open ground seem to be rare but normal events and explain the presence of common dormice in very small patches of woodland in habitat mosaics.