22

A rustling at night

Even though these tiny animals at night take their share of the chocolates, cheese and other food the mountaineers carry with them when they spend the night at one of the “Boofen” (biwak spots) – hikers and mountaineers have taken the “Bilche” (dormouse; Gliridae) to their hearts; they also are the mascots of the national park.
The shy, nocturnal rodents hibernate during the winter half year and are only active during the warmer season, that is why they are called “dormouse” though they are not related to mice. In summer they build up their fat reserves and develop an almost spherical body shape. The spread of dormice in Saxon Switzerland is a zoological peculiarity since there are fat dormice, garden dormice and hazel dormice living side by side. Especially for the garden dormouse, a typical rock- and cave-dweller, the national parc with its sheltered rocks and forests offers an ideal habitat.