Monitering af Hasselmusen (Muscardinus avellanarius) med vildtkameraer

Camera Traps for Monitoring of the Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) Camera trapping is a widely applied tool for monitoring mammals and as it is a non-invasive method, it works especially well for monitoring threatened species. In this study camera trapping was used to detect the presence of hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) and coexisting species in the Bidstrup forests, Denmark. Four baited stations were observed with wildlife cameras and all visiting species were noted. At the four locations with each one camera trap a total of 1773 observations (video clips) were made including five species of mammals and eight species of birds. Of these, 63 observations of hazel dormice were obtained at two locations. Activity of the hazel dormice was obtained between 07.30 pm and 07.00 am which coincided with the activity of Apodemus spp. and the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus). More observations are necessary to reveal the full activity pattern of hazel dormice as the study is carried out late in the active period. However, the study demonstrates that baited camera traps show potential as a valuable monitoring tool for hazel dormice, as well as a tool to study diurnal activity and interference with coexisting species.