Dormice belong to a distinctive family of rodents called the Gliridae, with representatives found in Europe, Asia and Africa. The hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius is the only species of dormouse native to Britain, where it occurs in England and Wales. Its range also covers much of Europe from France to the Urals in Russia.The first edition of this handbook was published in 1996 and the second in 2006 (Bright et al. 2006). Since then our understanding of the ecology of dormice and the best ways to conserve them has advanced considerably. This third edition is based on the most recent research and practical experience available on the ecology of hazel dormice and uses this to inform conservation best practice. The handbook does not cover the edible, or fat, dormouse Glis glis which was introduced from Europe over 100 years ago. A second edition of the handbook on the Edible Dormouse Glis glis was recently publishedA separate publication, the Dormouse Mitigation Handbook, provides detailed guidance for all those involved in actions that affect hazel dormice in connection with built development in the UK.
