Preparation for the upcoming monitoring of species from the Gliridae family in the Central Balkan National Park
26 March 2025
On March 21, employees of the Central Balkan National Park (CBNP) visited one of the sites for monitoring the species of the Gliridae family, located in the area of the Neshkovtsi Conservation Area, Troyan State Park. They cleaned the nest boxes filled in from the previous year, and replaced the missing and damaged ones with new ones.
The second site where dormouse monitoring is located in the Zheravitsa area, Troyan State Park. It is to be visited in April and the nest boxes there will also be prepared for the active dormouse season and the upcoming monitoring.
The nest boxes are used by the dormouse for a long time and represent the best solution for long-term monitoring of its populations. Monitoring observations include visiting the houses (nest boxes) and checking for the presence of dormouse species, as well as capturing individuals, and determining sex and age. During the surveys, other species are often found in the nesting sites, which have decided to take advantage of their convenience, such as the forest mouse.
The activity is part of the Annual Plan for Monitoring Environmental Components in the Central Balkan National Park. At this stage, a total of 21 species of plant and animal biodiversity in the Park are being monitored. This also includes participation in the Mid-Winter Census of Waterfowl. Some of them are brown bear (Ursus arctos), European sperm whale (Spermophilus citellus), Balkan trout (Salmo trutta fario) and other animals, and edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), primrose (Primula frondosa), sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) and other plants.
Dormice are rodents and in Bulgaria there are 4 naturally occurring species – the common dormouse (Glis glis), the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), the forest dormouse (Dryomys nitedula) and the mouse dormouse (Myomimus roachi). On the territory of the Park, the main object for monitoring by dormouse is the hazel dormouse.
The mouse dormouse inhabits only the most southeastern parts of the country, while the others can be found almost throughout the country. As their name suggests, they can spend a large part of their lives sleeping, falling into hibernation – between 6 and 10 months. They feed mainly on seeds and fruits, but sometimes some of them also include insects, eggs and songbird chicks in their menu. The taste preferences of the common dormouse are interesting, as it is extremely specialized – it feeds mainly on beech and oak acorns. Usually in nature during the active season they use various hollows and holes in old trees, bird nests or specially built nests by them as their home, which differ in different types of dormice.
The second site where dormouse monitoring is located in the Zheravitsa area, Troyan State Park. It is to be visited in April and the nest boxes there will also be prepared for the active dormouse season and the upcoming monitoring.
The nest boxes are used by the dormouse for a long time and represent the best solution for long-term monitoring of its populations. Monitoring observations include visiting the houses (nest boxes) and checking for the presence of dormouse species, as well as capturing individuals, and determining sex and age. During the surveys, other species are often found in the nesting sites, which have decided to take advantage of their convenience, such as the forest mouse.
The activity is part of the Annual Plan for Monitoring Environmental Components in the Central Balkan National Park. At this stage, a total of 21 species of plant and animal biodiversity in the Park are being monitored. This also includes participation in the Mid-Winter Census of Waterfowl. Some of them are brown bear (Ursus arctos), European sperm whale (Spermophilus citellus), Balkan trout (Salmo trutta fario) and other animals, and edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), primrose (Primula frondosa), sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) and other plants.
Dormice are rodents and in Bulgaria there are 4 naturally occurring species – the common dormouse (Glis glis), the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), the forest dormouse (Dryomys nitedula) and the mouse dormouse (Myomimus roachi). On the territory of the Park, the main object for monitoring by dormouse is the hazel dormouse.
The mouse dormouse inhabits only the most southeastern parts of the country, while the others can be found almost throughout the country. As their name suggests, they can spend a large part of their lives sleeping, falling into hibernation – between 6 and 10 months. They feed mainly on seeds and fruits, but sometimes some of them also include insects, eggs and songbird chicks in their menu. The taste preferences of the common dormouse are interesting, as it is extremely specialized – it feeds mainly on beech and oak acorns. Usually in nature during the active season they use various hollows and holes in old trees, bird nests or specially built nests by them as their home, which differ in different types of dormice.
