Threat assessment for dormice in Latvia – facts and assumptions (Rodentia: Gliridae)

Abstract

In Latvia, dormice were one of the less studied mammal taxonomic groups until the 21st century, due to their elusive way of life. Historical threat assessments of dormouse species conducted in the 1970s and 1990s were constrained by a scarcity of observations, primarily relying on accidental encounters. In 2021, a comprehensive reassessment of the threat status of four dormouse species recorded in Latvia – Glis glis, Eliomys quercinus, Dryomys nitedula, and Muscardinus avellanarius – was initiated, by applying the methodological framework developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Here we evaluate the outcomes of these reassessments in the context of previous threat assessments at the national level as well as in the regional context. Historical and current species status in neighbouring countries, as well as necessary protective measures in Latvia were also considered.