Harvest Mice - Five Sisters Zoo

The Harvest Mouse has pale fur, typically in shades of yellow through ginger, with little to no fur on their tail. They have rounded ears with dexterous limbs and hands to both hang onto grasses and weave them into nests. Harvest mice can also sense vibrations through their feet, allowing them to avoid any passing predators.

Facts

Diet: Omnivore; nuts, seeds and berries, some invertebrates.

Weight: 6-8g

Length: 10-12cm including tail

Habitat: Central and northern Europe, Russia, northern and eastern Asia; shrubland, grasslands, marsh areas, wetlands and some agricultural development.

Life Span: 1.5 years on average

Adapted to Survive

  • Harvest mice weave nests out of grasses and plant material and attach them to plants to raise young safely
  • They can have multiple litters in one year
  • Only British mammal to have a prehensile tail, used for gripping onto grasses and plants

Threats

  • Agricultural development leading to habitat loss and fragmentation

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern  globally, Endangered in the UK

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