New records of Sicista betulina in southern Bohemia (Czech Republic) and perspectives of monitoring of its occurrence (Rodentia: Dipodidae)

Abstract

The northern birch mouse (Sicista betulina) ranks among the rarest mammals of southern Bohemia. Each record of the species is therefore of value, especially when an exact date, locality, and habitat are available. Nine records of the northern birch mouse made in southern Bohemia in 1976–2018 are reported for the first time. Two older records are based on specimens deposited in museum collections, seven additional findings were reported by various authors during the last two decades. Of them, three records represent trapped individuals, and one caught by hand. The remaining three records are accidental findings during fieldwork, two mice were observed alive and one specimen was found freshly dead. The northern birch mice were recorded in various forest types as well as in wet meadows in the altitudinal range of 585–950 m a. s. l. Dry pitfall trapping, analysis of avian predator pellets, camera trapping and possibly also the use of hair-sampling tubes seem to be suitable non-invasive methods for monitoring of the northern birch mouse.